Many of you may remember the incident of Jaden Morrison, the autistic 4-year-old of a New York family visiting South Carolina who went missing from the grandmother’s home in Horry County on Christmas Eve last year. More than 100 emergency workers searched the rural neighbor hood during Christmas for the nonverbal child who walked out the front door, after his grandmother had been distracted for only a few moments. Unfortunately, Jaden was later found drowned in a nearby pond. During this incident, Horry County’s Project Lifesaver program was talked about in the news media. This prompted calls from Dillon County residents with autistic children interested in the program. Horry County Police Department contacted EMS Director, Randy Grimsley, and he contacted Sheriff Major Hulon and shared the information. EMS Director Grimsley, Sheriff Hulon and others, including Dillon County Councilman Archie Scott, in Dillon County decided to begin preparing to form Project Lifesaver in Dillon County.
Project Lifesaver was established in April 1999 in Chesapeake, Virginia. Currently, over 1,400 member agencies in 48 states participate in the program – police, sheriff, fire, public safety departments and other emergency responders. The method relies on proven radio technology and specially trained search and rescue teams. Citizens enrolled in Project Lifesaver wear a small transmitter on the wrist or ankle that emits an individualized tracking signal. If an enrolled client goes missing, the caregiver notifies their local Project Lifesaver agency, and a trained emergency team responds to the wanderer’s area. Most who wander are found within a few miles from home, and search times have been reduced from hours and days to minutes. Signals can be tracked on ground or by air over a several mile radius. Recovery times for PLI clients average 30 minutes – 95 percent less time than standard operations. So far they maintain 100 percent success rate with over 2000 rescues.
The start up cost is approximately $5000 for the equipment and training. The transmitting bracelets cost around $300 each. The bracelets have to be checked and batteries changed once every month. Battery and band replacement cost around $20 per month.
All deputies have already received training on dealing with children with autism provided by Robert Derr (Retired Battalion Chief and paramedic with Myrtle Beach Fire Department who also has an adult son with autism). Once Project Lifesaver gets started, they will provide up to seven officers training on how to use the tracking equipment and training for an officer to train other officers.
Autism is the fastest growing developmental disability that now affects one in every 1 in 50 children. Some autistic children cannot verbally communicate and are prone to wander. This program would greatly benefit the children in Dillon County with this disability at no cost to the families. The Sheriff’s Office is in need of funding to implement and keep up with this program. Any donations or volunteers are greatly appreciated. Donations are tax-deductible.
Once the program gets started, the Sheriff’s Office will have applications available for families with children that have the tendency to wander to participate in the program. They will also have to have a statement signed by a doctor stating this.
The program will be on a first-come, first-serve basis with hopes of eventually providing the bracelets to all children who are in need and possible even expanding the program to Alzheimer’s patients who tend to wander in the future. All this is based on the funds they receive to help them with Dillon County’s project Lifesaver.
“It is my sincere hope that we can quickly get this service in Dillon County and provide effective law enforcement response to help save lives and bring loved one home,” said Deputy Kimberly Brumble, who is coordinating the program. For more information, contact: Deputy Kimberly Brumble, Dillon County Sheriff’s Office, 1033 Old Latta Hwy., Suite A, Dillon, SC 29536, Phone: (843) 774-1432.