Lynchburg Police Rescue 12-Year-Old Child With New EmSeeQ® Device

LYNCHBURG, Va., Sept. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- A 12-year-old boy with autism is now home safe and sound with his family in Lynchburg, Va. thanks to the quick thinking of his parents, Lynchburg authorities and a new device called EmSeeQ that works to quickly locate missing children and adults with cognitive conditions.

Just days after the City of Lynchburg's Project Lifesaver and Sheriff's Office conducted a trial of the new EmFinders® EmSeeQ® system, the first child to be fitted with the wristwatch-style device was rescued less than an hour after he packed his bags and left home. The child, who has a history of wandering away from home, was reported missing at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 25. His parents called Lynchburg 911, which notified the Lynchburg Sheriffs Office, who immediately called to activate the EmSeeQ system. The child was recovered at around 11:45 a.m. about two miles from his home.

Chief Deputy Donald Sloan of the Lynchburg Sheriff's Office says the EmSeeQ device, which uses cellular signals to triangulate the location of the wearer, "worked like a charm."

"Under our current system, when an individual in the Project Lifesaver program is reported missing, we must deploy a team to where they were last seen and triangulate the search from there," Sloan said. "With EmSeeQ, we can eliminate that step because it provides a location as soon as it is activated."

Once the EmSeeQ becomes active, it dials 911.  The E911 emergency location system automatically reports the location of the device directly to the E911 calltaker, who in turn can dispatch emergency responders directly to the location of the missing person.  Because EmSeeQ works so quickly, the device not only saves precious time—which could mean the difference between life or death for clients with autism or Alzheimer's disease—but also reduces the manpower and costs associated with the search and rescue effort.

In affiliation with Project Lifesaver, the city currently staffs three six-member teams, each on call 10 days per month. When a Project Lifesaver client using the old technology is reported missing, the city's E911 center dispatches the on-call team to respond.  Operating portable antennae, the team members begin to search for and, if successful, triangulate on a short range radio signal emitted by a device worn by the missing person.  Sloan says in the event a search goes on for days or even weeks, costs can quickly skyrocket into the hundreds of thousands of dollars for manpower, helicopter support, supplies, food and more.

"With this device, instead of activating a whole team, the E911 system can triangulate the signal, provide an accurate location of the individual, and we can notify units in the field," Sloan said. "It saves both time and resources, while still allowing us to provide immediate assistance and peace of mind to families struggling with these types of issues."

"Project Lifesaver is thrilled to be able to offer its member agencies the opportunity to upgrade to this new advance cellular technology," says Chief Gene Saunders, the CEO of Project Lifesaver.  "Because it relies on the existing E911 system, it does not require law enforcement to invest in location equipment or engage in potentially costly search and rescue missions.  This means that all available public funding can be used to achieve our core mission of protecting as many potential wanderers as possible."

The wristwatch-style EmSeeQ device is discrete, yet secure, requiring the use of two hands to remove it—making it nearly impossible for the individual to remove it themselves. It's also safe and comfortable to prevent injuries related to removal attempts.

The device provides much-needed and affordable peace of mind to caregivers of children with autism and seniors suffering from Alzheimer's disease or dementia.

For more information about the EmSeeQ device, visit www.emfinders.com.

About EmFinders

EmFinders, based in Frisco, TX, is a new technology company that has developed a device and subscription service for locating people with Alzheimer's or other impaired adults and children who wander and become lost. The wearable device and locator service uses advanced cellular technology to locate lost individuals, even if they wander inside a building, under a structure or just about anywhere. The device becomes activated on remote command and the locator service works in coordination with emergency responders. EmFinders is a privately held subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation attributed to the Liberty Capital group (Nasdaq: LCAPA), which owns a broad range of electronic retailing, media, communications and entertainment businesses. For more information, visit www.emfinders.com.

About Project Lifesaver

Project Lifesaver International (PLI) is a non-profit organization that provides rapid response to save lives and reduce potential for serious injury for adults and children who wander due to Alzheimer's, autism, Down syndrome, dementia and other related disorders.  PLI provides equipment, training, certification and support to law enforcement, public safety organizations and community groups throughout 45 states, D.C., Canada, and Australia.  In addition, Project Lifesaver develops public outreach programs to educate others about the issue of wandering, and they constantly work toward developing public policy and effective law enforcement response to help save lives and "bring loved ones home."  With more than 1,150 participating agencies across the U.S., Canada and Australia, PLI agencies have performed over 2,180 searches in the last 11 years with no serious injuries or fatalities ever reported. For more information, visit www.projectlifesaver.org, or call 1-877-580-LIFE (5433).

SOURCE EmFinders