Project Lifesaver International Celebrates World Autism Awareness Day

CHESAPEAKE, Va., April 2 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Project Lifesaver is celebrating World Autism Awareness Day today, April 2, and would like to take this opportunity to recognize and thank all the families, caregivers, organizations, medical professionals, and individuals that help advocate and care for those with autism.  It is truly Project Lifesaver's honor to support all those in the autism community, and we thank you for all you do -- each and every day.

World Autism Awareness Day helps bring attention to this very common cognitive condition -- according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an average of 1 in every 110 children are diagnosed with autism.  Additionally, in a recent National Autism Association survey, nearly 92% of parents felt their autistic children were at risk of wandering.  Because of this, wandering is recognizably a growing and serious responsibility.  Without effective procedures and equipment, searches can involve multiple agencies, hundreds of officers, countless man hours and thousands of dollars.  More importantly, because time is of the essence, every minute lost increases the risk of a heartbreaking outcome.

Project Lifesaver International (PLI) helps provide rapid response to save lives and reduce potential for serious injury for children who wander due to autism and other related conditions.  Project Lifesaver provides equipment, training, certification and support to public safety organizations and community groups throughout the country.  To date, they have over 1,100 participating public safety agencies (i.e. Police, Fire, EMS, Sheriff, etc) across the United States, D.C., Canada, and Australia, and PLI agencies have performed nearly 2,100 searches in the last 10 years with no serious injuries or fatalities reported. 

"As parents, my wife and I can't ever imagine the fear that would go through our minds if our son Reece, who has severe autism, ever wandered away.  Just knowing Reece is on the Project Lifesaver program takes a great deal of weight off our minds and provides us with peace of mind," said Brad Trahan, Founder of the RT Autism Awareness Foundation.

Citizens enrolled in Project Lifesaver wear a small personal transmitter around the wrist or ankle that emits a tracking signal. If an individual on the program goes missing, the caregiver notifies their local Project Lifesaver agency, and a trained emergency team responds. Most who wander are found within a few miles from home, and search times have been reduced from hours and days to just minutes.  Recovery times for PLI enrollees average 30 minutes -- 95% less time than standard operations.  Project Lifesaver is a community-oriented program, and it works.

"Project Lifesaver's program is, indeed, a lifesaver!" said Dennis Debbaudt, a recognized leader in the global autism community.  He has published numerous books and attends speaking engagements, as well as produces videos, publications, and autism training presentations for first responders throughout the country.

In honor of World Autism Awareness Day, "thank you" to each and every individual in the autism community -- caregivers, medical professionals, family members, organizations -- all of you are truly lifesavers.

About Project Lifesaver International

Established in 1999, Project Lifesaver International is a non-profit organization that is committed to helping families quickly find their loved ones who wander because of Alzheimer's, Down syndrome, dementia, autism, and other cognitive conditions. Project Lifesaver trains agencies on how to search for individuals who become lost by utilizing search and rescue techniques and equipment, as well as how to interact with individuals once they are found to help facilitate a safe escort home.  Project Lifesaver is also endorsed by many leading organizations in the country.  For more information, visit www.projectlifesaver.org. 

SOURCE Project Lifesaver International