By Rupert Howell
Finding Alzheimer’s patients, or those prone to wander away without the ability to return, may have gotten a little easier for residents of Panola County.

Panola County Deputies and search and rescue personnel will now have ability to track those people who have a habit of wandering away with equipment that is similar to dog tracking equipment used by coon hunters.

Those responsible for Alzheimer’s patients or others prone to wander may obtain a chip that is contained in a device the size of a wristwatch which transmits a unique signal. By putting that transmitter’s number into the tracking device, the device will lead searchers in the direction of the one missing.

Several tracking and transmitting devices were included with an equipment grant from Project Lifesaver, Inc. worth in the vicinity of $5,000 according Panola County Emergency Management Director Daniel Cole.

Cole said he would like to get donations and offer transmitters to those in need or have friends and families of those prone to wander to purchase a transmitter for their loved one.

Three transmitters and three receivers along with a cache of batteries and spare parts were received with the equipment grant through Panola County Sheriff’s Department.

Cole said his office would keep and maintain most of the equipment with the sheriff’s department keeping a receiver on hand.

A group of eight local responders went through training Tuesday morning with more in-deptth training planned Wednesday for additional training.

According to Project Lifesaver’s Website, “Citizens enrolled in Project Lifesaver wear a small personal transmitter around the wrist or ankle that emits an individualized tracking signal.
If an enrolled client goes missing, the caregiver notifies their local Project Lifesaver agency, and a trained emergency team responds to the wanderer’s area.

Most who wander are found within a few miles from home, and search times have been reduced from hours and days to minutes. Recovery times for PLI clients average 30 minutes — 95 percent less time than standard operations.”