Project Lifesaver bracelets will help find loved ones who wander off

A small radio-transmitter bracelet that can help locate a lost family member is being made available to more Suffolk residents thanks to an expansion of the Project Lifesaver program by Sheriff Vincent DeMarco.

“It gives family and caregivers the peace of mind that we’re gonna bring home their loved one,” said Officer Bryan Stoothoff, the aide to Sheriff Vincent DeMarco who administers the program.

The national average for search-and-rescue response time in such cases is nine hours, he said. With a locator device it’s 30 minutes.

Stoothoff has been reaching out to service organizations across Suffolk County to raise the $300 startup cost for a new client. Riverhead is one town still on his list. With its large senior population, Riverhead likely has a significant number of potential beneficiaries, Stoothoff said. Others who would also benefit from the program include children with autism or people with traumatic brain injuries, he said.

One client in Riverhead who suffered from the effects of a TBI used a device for two years until they passed away, he said.

Riverhead senior citizens program director Judy Doll said it’s hard to estimate how many people stand to benefit from the program, but said the need exists.

“We have had seniors that have gone out wandering and it is a very scary thing. I’m sure there is a greater need than we’re aware of. We dont see the worst cases – there’s no daycare anymore. They are there, but we don’t see them,” she said.

Stoothoff said applicants apply directly through the sheriff’s office. There are 25 people currently being served. He said the program has a 100-percent success rate to date.

The devices, which can be worn around the ankle or wrist, emit unique radio frequencies that have a range of two miles and can be tracked through inclement weather and inside buildings, unlike GPS units.

Stoothoff said cost to the client is assessed on a case-by-case basis. So far, donations have gone a long way.

“We’re very fortunate. We haven’t had to charge anyone,” Stoothoff said.

To date, the sheriff’s office has purchased a total of 10 tracking units with asset forfeiture funds, and recently expanded the number of deputy sheriffs trained to use the equipment.

DeMarco was recently appointed downstate New York coordinator of Project Lifesaver by Project Lifesaver International, which makes his office responsible for training and certifying any law enforcement agency south of Albany that is interested in the program.

For more information on the program in Suffolk, visit the sheriff’s website or call the sheriff’s office at 631-852-4028.

Photo caption, from left: Peter Bernagozzi, aide to the  sheriff; Kim Covell, founder of Flying Point Foundation for Autism, Joe Cornetta, executive director of the East End Police Foundation, and Bryan Stoothoff, aide to the sheriff.

(Courtesy photo)