Wauwatosa Project Lifesaver helps find people; mother shares her story

Wauwatosa Project Lifesaver helps find people

Those with a loved one living with a cognitive disability know how hard communication with that person can be.

WAUWATOSA, Wis. - Those with a loved one living with a cognitive disability know how hard communication with that person can be.

Add in a stressful situation, like that person wondering off, and the stakes get that much higher.

Mother's story

What we know:

A program that police in Wauwatosa are using is giving families and police some peace of mind.

About 8 years ago, Wendi Lee’s son Jackson walked into a store, curious and barefoot. He has a cognitive disorder called trisomy 4p. One of the effects is that he tends to wander.

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"He didn’t have shoes on, he walked across the street," Lee said. "If he sees something that he wants, like at the mall or wherever, he’ll just go to it."

Lee said the panic sent her on a search for solutions.

Project Lifesaver

That search led her to the Wauwatosa Police Department and Project Lifesaver.

What we know:

The program is designed to bring loved ones home. It allows a person with a cognitive disorder, like autism or Alzheimer's, to wear a bracelet with a transmitter inside.

Then the police can use the frequency to find that person.

WPD community support specialist Laura Laurishke said the average find time is 30 minutes. Anyone enrolled in the program can use it anywhere in the world where the program is offered.

"Since 1999, there have been 4,406 searches throughout the United States and out of all of them, there have been no fatalities," she said.