Forks Police Department’s Administrator Rick Bart is looking at the possibility of implementing Project Lifesaver in the community of Forks.

The program is a LoJack Safety Net tracking system used by law enforcement departments nationwide. The tracking system locates adults and children who wander due to Alzheimer’s, dementia, autism, Down syndrome and other related cognitive impairment diagnoses.

Project Lifesaver operates in more than 1,000 jurisdictions across the nation. This program has been used in the City of Sequim since early 2007 and the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office joined the program in 2010. The program has reduced search times from hours or days to just minutes. The risks and costs of a typical search also have dropped significantly, with an average rescue time of less than 30 minutes.

Participants wear a transmitter on their ankle or wrist, this transmitter is about the size of a watch, which emits an individualized tracking signal on an assigned radio frequency. When caregivers notify police that the participant is missing, a team of specially trained police and fire department personnel responds and uses a mobile locator tracking system to search for the missing person.

The transmitter is a battery-operated radio wrist transmitter emitting an automatic tracking signal every second, 24 hours a day. The signal is tracked on the ground over approximately one mile. Each wristband has a unique radio frequency. Project Lifesaver’s battery provides a continuous signal for 30-45 days.

Bart is interested in gauging the local level of participation in the project and is asking that families interested in signing up for this service contact the FPD at 374-2223 or by e-mail at rbar.forks@forkswashington.org.