SHERIFF’S DEPUTIES FIND MISSING MAN WITH AID OF
PROJECT LIFESAVER WRISTBAND
Columbia Sheriff David P. Bartlett reports that Sheriff’s Office personnel were able to locate an elderly Friday afternoon, who is enrolled in Project Lifesaver after he wandered off from his residence in New Lebanon during the morning hours.
The Sheriff’s office was alerted of the missing man at approximately 1:21 pm on Friday, June 29, 2018, after the State Police were assigned by Columbia County 911 to respond to the residence. A family member had arrived home and noticed that he was missing, which prompted her to dial 911. Deputy Sheriff’s responding to the area prepared their tracking equipment. An external antenna was mounted on the roof of the patrol vehicles to pick up the radio wave and a search was conducted starting from the residence.
During the search, Sheriff Bartlett and Undersheriff Davi picked up his signal several miles south of the residence. The man was located on foot about ¼ of a mile off the main road in a wooded area. As a precaution due to the warm day, Chatham Rescue Squad evaluated the man and it appeared he was in good health, so he was returned to his residence.
Sheriff’s Office members involved with the investigation and search were Sheriff David Bartlett, Undersheriff John Davi, Lieutenant Wayne Lopez, 1st Sergeant Louis Bray, Sergeant Brian Molinski, and Deputy David Stevens.
Project Lifesaver is a rapid response program that aids victims, (and their families), who wander as a result of Alzheimer’s, Autism, Down Syndrome or Dementia. It uses state of the art technology and specifically trained Deputy Sheriff’s to locate those individuals who have wandered and may be lost and otherwise in peril. The person is outfitted with a wristband that emits radio waves that can be constantly tracked. The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office has been participating in the program since 2009.
Project Lifesaver is provided to Columbia County residents as a result of a partnership established between the Sheriff’s Office, the Columbia County Office for the Aging and the Taconic Developmental Disabilities Services Office, which is a regional office for the New York State Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities. For those with Autism, Down syndrome or other qualifying diagnosis served by the Taconic Office of Person with Developmental Disabilities, please call 845-473-5050 and ask for the Project Lifesaver Coordinator. For those with Alzheimer’s Disease, Dementia or other cognitive impairments, please call the Columbia County Office for the Aging at 518-828-4258 and ask for the Project Lifesaver Coordinator. For additional information on how to enroll, please contact the Sheriff’s Office at 518-828-3344 and ask to speak with the Project Lifesaver Coordinator.
