by Wendy Bulawa

Created on: April 27, 2010   Last Updated: April 29, 2010

On a lovely afternoon in Sherborn, 10-year-old Dean Howell was hiking with his caretaker, when he suddenly ran off and disappeared into the brush. For most parents or caretakers, this show of a child’s independence or precociousness is little more than a delay or inconvenience. Yet, for parents of children with special needs—such as autism, Down syndrome or deafness whereby the child may be unable to respond to their name, avoid eye contact, or lack the cognitive strength to navigate their way back or to assistance, the situation can be more dire.

News reports are generated monthly about the senseless loss of individuals with cognitive impairment due to wandering. Just last month, teenager Christian Bennet of Drexel Hill, Penn. was reported missing after he did not reach an expected destination. Fortunately, a neighbor spotted the teen with Down syndrome boarding a bus to Philadelphia, ultimately the tip that led to his safe and quick return. Had that neighbor not been around, countless numbers of man hours and dollars (upwards of $1,500/hour) would have been invested through emergency services to locate the teen who had quickly become a missing person. Bennet is just one in more than a dozen reported cases each month of individuals with cognitive disabilities losing their way—and in some cases—their lives. Dean Howell however, who has autism and is non-verbal, was also found unharmed - in less than 20 minutes- due to a nationwide program called Project Lifesaver.

Founded in 1999 as a program of the Search and Rescue group at the Chesapeake, Va. Sheriff’s office, the non-profit organization seeks to change the security landscape for families of individuals with disabilities by easing the task of rescuing individuals who stray from supervised care. Project Lifesaver specializes in search and rescue programs, conducts mandatory training, and provides certification, ongoing management and support to public safety agencies that enroll in the LoJack SafetyNet/Project Lifesaver service. 

Under the program, individuals at risk of wandering are voluntarily outfitted with wrist or ankle bands that hold battery-operated radio transmitters. The transmitter emits a Radio Frequency (RF) signal used to pinpoint precise location and track the person. The technology powering the solution is similar to the service used by thousands of Americans to protect their vehicles—LoJack.  LoJack’s SafteyNet System is employed by Project

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