Project Lifesaver in Nova Scotia

April 18, 2011 at 11:05 AM AST

Nova Scotians who suffer from autism, Alzheimer’s disease and other cognitive conditions will benefit most from a new search and rescue tracking system that will make it easier to find people when they stray from their homes.

The Emergency Management Office and the Project Lifesaver Association of Nova Scotia (PLANS) today announced federal funding of $273,432 to help supply equipment and training for a new and effective radio frequency tracking system.

The equipment includes receivers that will be assigned to all Nova Scotia’s Ground Search and Rescue Units(GSARs)that wish to have them. Signals are sent by small, bracelet Personal Locator Units (PLUs) that emit coded radio signals unique to each user. There are 24 Ground Search and Rescue Units in the province. It is anticipated that most teams will participate in the program.

Project Lifesaver Association of Nova Scotia will administer and roll out the program (with in-kind support from EMO). The program will take the next two years to roll out across the province. Plans for the roll out are being developed now. As GSAR teams become trained in the use of the equipment the service will becomes available area by area and more sign up information will be provided so local families can enroll.

Interested families can contact Project Lifesaver Association of Nova Scotia directly; a list of interested people is being compiled. The program is only available to families in the Valley (Annapolis and Kings) at this time.
 
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Ross Landry, Minister for Emergency Management announces $273-thousand in federal funding to purchase Project Lifesaver equipment for, and train, all participating Ground Search and Rescue teams in the province.

(Left to right)  Ross Landry, Minister of Emergency Management, Ron and Nancy Arenburg, and Premier Darrell Dexter.

(Left to right) David Walsh, Valley Search and Rescue; Ron Arenburg, Nancy Arenburg, founders of Project Lifesaver Association of Nova Scotia; Ross Landry, Minister of Emergency Management; representative from the Provincial Autism Centre.