Halton police launch newprogramto help save lives by Nathan Howes Oakville Beaver Staff 25 | Thursday, February 2, 2 0 1 7 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTO N.com Halton police launched Project Lifesaver Halton Jan. 26 -- a new, rapid-response and rescue program to help locate wandering or missing individuals, living with cognitive disorders, by way of a tracking device. The program, operated in partnership with Halton Region, will assist police in increasing community safety. The initiative is a creation of Project Lifesaver International, a non-profit organization, the first to apply tracking technology for the search and rescue of those with cognitive disorders. Halton police, like other enforcement agencies, regularly respond to emergencies involving missing persons suffering a cognitive disorder. Project Lifesaver Halton was formally unveiled to the public at a press conference held at the Halton Regional Centre. "Through the Project Lifesaver program, Halton Regional Police are committed to bringing loved ones home," said Halton Police Chief Stephen Tanner, noting local police respond to approximately 500 missing person calls annually. "What makes our approach unique is we have created an entire education and training program that includes traffic techniques and Halton Regional Police launched Project Lifesaver in Halton, that utilizes radio signal tracking technology to find wandering or missing individuals. Halton police Chief Stephen Tanner holds one of the Lifesaver tracking wristbands as Halton police Constable Marc Taraso, a SIRT ( Search Incident Response Team) member, demonstrates the use of the radio frequency tracker. | Graham Paine/M etroland technology." Participants enrolled Project Lifesaver Halton wear a small, personalized wristband that emits an individualized tracking signal. The wristband is a one-ounce, batteryoperated wrist transmitter emitting an FM radio, frequency-based signal that sends out a signal every second, 24 hours a day. The transmitters are able to track through obstacles, such as concrete walls and heavilycovered forests. W hen caregivers notify Halton police their loved one is missing, officers respond to the area where the person was last seen using a mobile location tracking system. "A receiver antenna is then used to track the frequency associated to the missing person' s transmitter to assist in pinpointing their location, including direction of travel and distance, based on the strength of that signal," explained Tanner. By February, 30 emergency services officers will be trained as Project Lifesaver operators, and the program will be administered by the police' s Victim Services Unit, Tanner said. Once people registered with the initiative, it led to a 100 per cent success rate in locating wandering or missing persons, he added. Project Lifesaver enhances the probability of the individual' s rescue and makes it possible to reduce the search effort from days and hours to minutes. Halton police Sgt. Dave Tutte noted the recovery time for a client averages 30 minutes 95 per cent less time than standard operations. "Most people who wander are usually found see Project on p.27 (430-1100 CALS) Voted Best Accountant by Oakville Beaver Readers for 10 Consecutive Years ` SAVE N O W 10% *Cut out this ad and save 10 % on your food bill VAILD AT 1011 Uppermiddle Rd East & 217 Cross Ave Oakville(DINE IN ONLY) This coupon is only valid at 1011 Uppermiddle Rd E & 217 Cross Ave in Oakville ON. This coupon entitles you to 10% off your food bill before tax. Only one coupon per table. Taxes extra. No cash value. Expires on FEB 28, 2017. DINE IN ONLY · Accounting · Auditing · Taxation R ick y W ong CPA, CA, M BA, B. E n g For more information please check our website www.rickywong.ca 1200 Speers Rd., Unit 32 , Oakville, Ont. L 6 L 2X 4 (905) 845 -1 4 0 8 | Fax (905) 845 - 5 9 3 1 1ricky@rickywong.ca Beat cash emergencies w ith a Cash Advance. A v a ila b le in -s to re , o n lin e , and w h e re v e r y o u 're re a d in g th is ad. For details, visit us at: 2460 Neyagawa Blvd 905-257-1917 O p e n y o u r senses to what others have experienced. PLUM'S FOOD SHOP iS NOW OPEN! We serve fresh breakfast & lunches daily Take-out only until 2:00, Monday - Friday W e o f f e r fu ll s e r v ic e c o r p o r a t e c a t e r in g 198 Speers Rd 905-338-6000 W e can h elp. MONEY MART® is a registered service mark of National Money Mart Company. © 2015 National Money Mart Company. All rights reserved. 447 S p eers Rd, unit 9 · 9 0 5 -8 4 4 -7 1 1 0 w w w .p lu m c a t e r in g .c a