GUILFORD COUNTY, N.C. — It is called Project Lifesaver. It is a partnership between the Guilford County Sheriff's Office and the Pilot Club in Greensboro.
GCSO Community Resource Unit Sergeant, Aline Almonor, said she wants to bring the publics attention on the program after 81-year-old Heddie Dawkins went missing.
"It's unfortunate that event occurred and ended that way and I wish she was aware or the family was aware that we had this program," said Almonor. "Maybe the outcome could have been different, we don't know, but unfortunately, it's not out there enough for people to know."
This program has been in place since 2010. It is a tracking device that those with cognitive disorders, and those who are at risk of wandering off, wear on their wrist.
If they wonder away, caregivers call the sheriff's office. When deputies arrive, it only takes two people to use a radio transmitter to track a person down.
Almonor said that the radio transmitter is more reliable, because other programs that use GPS can lose the signal in wooded areas.
"Every time someone goes missing because of the program, they are quickly located," she said. "Once you get into the program, you do have a caretaker at home that assists you with the transmitter that's put on the client and it's easy for them to know when that person goes missing to quickly find them."
The batteries get changed every two months by staff in the Pilot Club of Greensboro.
Pilot Club of Greensboro President, Laura Keever, said that they have a 100 percent success rate in locating people. She said it could save thousands of missing people, yet fewer than 30 people are signed up for the program.
"I worry about them and I can't imagine how much relief this gives the caregiver," said Keever. "My mother in law had Alzheimer's but she did not wonder, so when we started this program I saw what a gift it could be."
Dianne and Garson Pettiford are enrolled in the program. Garson Pettiford battles Alzheimer's and his wife said recently, after a bad day, Garson left the house and drove away.
"I was just nervous and scared," said Dianne Pettiford. "I was glad that tracker was there to help me along the way and I just thank them for that and I am thankful we have the service."
She called the police and sheriff's office and while Garson made it back home before they used the tracker, she felt relieved she would be able to track him down.
Her husband Garson Pettiford said a few weeks after the situation, he is thankful for the tracker.
"I am glad that she had me in this program because of the medical situation that i am in," said Garson Pettiford. "I didn't realize how devastating it was until a few weeks later to know that I can just lose my mind and forget what I am doing and get lost again, and I don't want to be put in that situation again, I just thank god she got that program going."
The couple both emotional but filled with joy knowing that Garson is okay.
According to Sergeant Almonor, Davidson County Sheriff's Office was working to get involved in the program. Forsyth County Sherriff's Office did not. She said there is other similar programs out there, but it's not the same one that Guilford County has.
"We do ask the community to let people know that we have that program with Guilford County Sheriff's Office and to please contact us anytime and we'll send you out the questionnaire and let your loved ones know that we do care and we want to make sure to get them in that program to assist them," said Almonor.
For more information about Program lifesaver, you can call the community resource unit at 336-641-5313.
They will send you out a questionnaire to fill out the questionnaire, return it to them, then deputies will send it out to the Pilot club of Greensboro. They will get in contact with the participant, get all the information regarding payments or monthly fee that might be involved with it. It is about 20 dollars a month, but if a person cannot afford the cost, there are programs that can make it free to anyone who's not able to pay the monthly amount that is due.