OSWEGO COUNTY – As of late September, the Oswego County Pioneer Search and Rescue Team had been activated for nearly 30 searches, with more than half of the subjects either autistic or suffering from dementia.
First responders understand how important it is to find people who are cognitively impaired as quickly as possible. Statistics show that if they are not located within 24 hours, nearly half of those who are prone to wandering will die, and many become injured or fall victim to predators.
Many county residents are unaware of Project Lifesaver, an invaluable program designed to help people with autism, Alzheimer’s, dementia or other conditions. Project Lifesaver is a non-profit organization, founded in 1999 in Virginia, to help law enforcement and search teams find missing people who are prone to wandering.
“Project Lifesaver is available across Oswego County, and there are many people who could benefit from this service. Our team is committed to raising public awareness and helping as many people as possible enroll as clients,” said Aaron Albrecht, search and rescue team coordinator.
The Oswego County Sheriff’s Office has offered Project Lifesaver since 2010, in coordination with the 911 Emergency Communications Department, the search and rescue team, and local law enforcement agencies.
Clients are fitted with a personalized wristband that emits a tracking signal 24 hours a day. When a client is reported missing, trained searchers – from the search and rescue team, Sheriff’s Department, state police and all local law enforcement agencies -- use specialized equipment to track the signal and locate the subject.
More than 4,000 clients have been rescued in the U.S. since the program’s inception.
“In Oswego County, our search team has had numerous successful Project Lifesaver searches, including five Project Lifesaver incidents so far this year,” said Albrecht. “Most subjects who are enrolled in the program are found in less than an hour.”
Through grants and donations, the Oswego County Pioneer Search and Rescue Team raised funds to produce a video and publish a new brochure about Project Lifesaver. The video demonstrates how team members and law enforcement work together to conduct a search for a Project Lifesaver client.
“The County Sheriff’s Office, Emergency Communications Department, and Friends of Great Bear Recreation Area were invaluable in helping us produce the video,” said Albrecht. Several community agencies are distributing the brochure and helping to spread the word about the service.
“All of the law enforcement agencies in Oswego County have certified Project Lifesaver field
technicians,” said Sheriff Don Hilton. “When someone with a Project Lifesaver transmitter bracelet wanders off, the Sheriff's Department, local law enforcement and the search and rescue team are dispatched by the 9-1-1 Emergency Communications Center. Specially trained personnel respond with Project Lifesaver receiver units to pinpoint the lost client's location.”
The 9-1-1 Emergency Communications Department has made the commitment to perform all administrative duties associated with the program since its inception in Oswego County.
“The most rewarding part of this program really is its success rate – most clients are located within a half-hour,” said Oswego County 9-1-1 Director Kevin Pooley. “We try to make it as easy on the caregivers as possible. We make sure that the people who need the help get the help they need.”
There is an activation charge and annual subscription for each client. Funds are available through donations to offset the cost for families who meet income eligibility guidelines.
Oswego County Sheriff’s Sgt. Justin Campeau coordinates the program with law enforcement agencies across the county.
“We are trained to establish rapport with clients,” said Sgt. Campeau. “We visit the client and their family to fit the wristband, provide an overview of the program, and regularly check the wristband transmitter battery to make sure everything is operating properly. We interact with the clients and their families. If they recognize us when they’re missing, they are less likely to run away when they see us.
“I like the peace of mind it gives to the caregivers,” said Sgt. Campeau. “Prior to this program, they didn’t have any options when their loved ones were missing. Now they have options, and they know that there’s a better chance of their loved one being found.”
Several organizations and agencies are working with the search and rescue team to distribute the brochure and host the video on their social media pages. They include the sheriff’s office and local law enforcement agencies, Oswego County Health Department, Office for the Aging, Oswego Health, Parents of Special Children, and school districts.
“We are very appreciative of the community organizations who are supporting this project,” said Albrecht. “Over the next several months we’ll continue to distribute information to remind residents of the service.”
For information on enrolling a loved one in Project Lifesaver, call the Emergency Communications Department at 315-349-8215 or visit
Funding for the search and rescue team’s Project Lifesaver public awareness campaign was provided by Stewart’s Shops, the Shineman Foundation, Oswego County Community Foundation, PathFinder Bank, Fulton Savings Bank, and Brookfield Renewable U.S. Steve Chirello Advertising and Mitchell Speedway Press provided additional support to help offset production costs.
The video is hosted on the Oswego County government YouTube channel at
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