Project Lifesaver helps get special needs child home
♦ A pool party and movie fundraiser will help purchase transmitters for families in need.
Officers were able to return a special needs child home using information collected during the Project Lifesaver campaign, according to a Floyd County Police Department press release.
The county police encourages families to contact them if they have a family member living with special needs or dementia.
Police responded to the Shannon community Thursday night in reference to a teenager walking down the road looking confused. A concerned passerby followed the juvenile to a restaurant where officers made contact with the 16-yearold. He was non-verbal and carrying a pillow.
Because officers had previous contact with the youth, his information was in the Project Lifesaver database and police were able to return him home. Officials from 911 searched for the Project Lifesaver code in their system and identified the lost boy and his address.
There is a $375 cost associated with the purchase of the radio transmitter from Project Lifesaver.
However, if a family cannot afford that cost police encourage them to contact them so that their loved one can be entered in the 911 database for quicker identification.
If a person wanders away from home, a specially trained officer is able to tune a receiver to the assigned frequency and locate the device. But the person has to always wear the transmitter.
Police successfully tested the transmitters a few weeks ago during a training exercise in the forest around the Pocket Campground and in simulations at State Mutual Stadium.
A movie night fundraiser is scheduled for Sept. 13 at Lawrence Plantation to raise money for the purchase of radio transmitters for families in need. The $45 ticket includes dinner poolside and a double-feature movie/ pool party combined, starting at 7 p.m. with the movies starting at 8 p.m. after the dinner.
For tickets, call 706-2661901.
The event, sponsored by Comforcare, is a scary double feature showing of “Jaws” and “Deep Blue Sea” with all proceeds benefiting the police department and the purchase of transmitters.