MONROE - Green and Lafayette county sheriffs say residents who care for individuals with autism, Alzheimer's, dementia or a developmental disability have been asking for devices that can help locate their loved ones should they wander off.
Now, thanks to a couple of donations, the Green County Sheriff's Department has acquired Care Trak, an electronic tracking system that allows trained deputies to find these individuals. The Green County Fall Nationals donated $7,000 and another donation came from an Albany couple.
Lafayette County is now in the process of looking for donations to purchase the same equipment.
Care Trak consists of a watch-sized wrist band worn by the individual. The band, which is submersible and intended to be worn continuously, emits a silent signal that is picked up as a clicking sound by a receiver.
Green County Sheriff Jeff Skatrud said the department researched various vendors of such devices and chose Care Trak because it is "simple and effective."
Twelve deputies each received about eight hours of training for the device, the department has developed policies, and Skatrud said his agency is "ready to get started" with the program.
Deputy Bernie Roidt, who is in charge of the program, demonstrated the system last week by attempting to find a wrist device Skatrud hid earlier about 300 feet from the sheriff's department. Skatrud said he deliberately chose the secret location because of several county buildings that would interfere with the signal.
Roidt found the quarter-sized emitter in less than 10 minutes in the crook of a tree north of the Justice Center, close to detention ponds.
Lafayette County Sheriff Scott Pedley said individuals with autism often seem to be attracted to bodies of water; he reported one local mother said her autistic child headed straight for a body of water while she and her husband monitored and observed him.
According to Pedley, one in 88 children is reportedly diagnosed with autism each year, making autism the fastest growing disability among children in the country. Pedley also reported 32,000 people with Alzheimer's disease wondered from nursing homes and residences last year in the U.S. Statistics indicate seven out of 10 people with Alzheimer's still live at home and 59 percent of them will wander.
"The value of one life far outweighs the cost incurred (with the tracking equipment)," he said.
The tracking technology, with an average locate time of 30 minutes, is used by hundreds of sheriff offices and police departments, Pedley added, and can save several thousand dollars in each ground-based search for a wanderer.
The tracking system is more efficient and practical than tracking dogs or GPS, he said.
"It's more efficient (than dogs) because of the range of the signal and the direction capabilities," he said. "GPS doesn't work under roofs or in heavy leafy foliage, such as tall grasses or corn fields," he added.
Care Trak can find a signal from up to a mile away, depending upon the terrain, and it can be used from a vehicle or airplane, according to Skatrud.
The Green County Sheriff's Department has five wristbands and can purchase more, each with a unique frequency, Skatrud said. Deputies need to visit the participant's home every two months to change batteries in the wristband.
The Green County Sheriff's Department is now taking applications from county residents who care for an individual with a documented diagnosis of autism, Alzheimer's, dementia or a developmental disability and a history or high risk of wandering. Participants must live in Green County and will be selected on a case-by-case basis.
If an application is approved, trained Green County Sheriff's deputies will visit the caregiver's home and fit the participant with a wristband that can be used to track their whereabouts if they ever become lost or missing.
Now, thanks to a couple of donations, the Green County Sheriff's Department has acquired Care Trak, an electronic tracking system that allows trained deputies to find these individuals. The Green County Fall Nationals donated $7,000 and another donation came from an Albany couple.
Lafayette County is now in the process of looking for donations to purchase the same equipment.
Care Trak consists of a watch-sized wrist band worn by the individual. The band, which is submersible and intended to be worn continuously, emits a silent signal that is picked up as a clicking sound by a receiver.
Green County Sheriff Jeff Skatrud said the department researched various vendors of such devices and chose Care Trak because it is "simple and effective."
Twelve deputies each received about eight hours of training for the device, the department has developed policies, and Skatrud said his agency is "ready to get started" with the program.
Deputy Bernie Roidt, who is in charge of the program, demonstrated the system last week by attempting to find a wrist device Skatrud hid earlier about 300 feet from the sheriff's department. Skatrud said he deliberately chose the secret location because of several county buildings that would interfere with the signal.
Roidt found the quarter-sized emitter in less than 10 minutes in the crook of a tree north of the Justice Center, close to detention ponds.
Lafayette County Sheriff Scott Pedley said individuals with autism often seem to be attracted to bodies of water; he reported one local mother said her autistic child headed straight for a body of water while she and her husband monitored and observed him.
According to Pedley, one in 88 children is reportedly diagnosed with autism each year, making autism the fastest growing disability among children in the country. Pedley also reported 32,000 people with Alzheimer's disease wondered from nursing homes and residences last year in the U.S. Statistics indicate seven out of 10 people with Alzheimer's still live at home and 59 percent of them will wander.
"The value of one life far outweighs the cost incurred (with the tracking equipment)," he said.
The tracking technology, with an average locate time of 30 minutes, is used by hundreds of sheriff offices and police departments, Pedley added, and can save several thousand dollars in each ground-based search for a wanderer.
The tracking system is more efficient and practical than tracking dogs or GPS, he said.
"It's more efficient (than dogs) because of the range of the signal and the direction capabilities," he said. "GPS doesn't work under roofs or in heavy leafy foliage, such as tall grasses or corn fields," he added.
Care Trak can find a signal from up to a mile away, depending upon the terrain, and it can be used from a vehicle or airplane, according to Skatrud.
The Green County Sheriff's Department has five wristbands and can purchase more, each with a unique frequency, Skatrud said. Deputies need to visit the participant's home every two months to change batteries in the wristband.
The Green County Sheriff's Department is now taking applications from county residents who care for an individual with a documented diagnosis of autism, Alzheimer's, dementia or a developmental disability and a history or high risk of wandering. Participants must live in Green County and will be selected on a case-by-case basis.
If an application is approved, trained Green County Sheriff's deputies will visit the caregiver's home and fit the participant with a wristband that can be used to track their whereabouts if they ever become lost or missing.