[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6551990,"mediaKeyId","5322128-6a0d9987fe02e55c1c35a95a3f273561","parentId",5322128,"title","Sheriff's Office updates Project Lifesaver and WellCheck programs; enrollment, capacity and outreach discussed","audioSeconds",871,"startMs",7468000,"endMs",8339000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5322128-6a0d9987fe02e55c1c35a95a3f273561&start=7468&end=8339","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5322128-6a0d9987fe02e55c1c35a95a3f273561/thumbnail_7468000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6551990/Wake-County/North-Carolina/Sheriffs-Office-updates-Project-Lifesaver-and-WellCheck-programs-enrollment-capacity-and-outreach-discussed","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6551990-299f4aba95a023fae52faf4bb886ff6c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448048&Signature=SPHxmGlLY4IifK-DMFIbX09kvDLDCm~n4e~ROPf360gLzZ-6tnBQoeKfxzT~Wb9HC7L3XyOdjqWSBc3LrJvIJ9M21ezVtZbz3~sLmobgGASNwva07BeY2BqntqhEOJbvda5lHuRhcptRPuKmB-VCSJ2TAVNATXSx7uXgSd4SsbUbyU7EalUYD40-luKsM-cQdmwfalnY3hyI~clIArfqGhvLYoetYJClD~6DHic8EC2p8HVmZbKUEvoXqpxEvB4ii28iHa61XvwkGKgxL7h3320ahx1MjDyyyq0gTDVWx96GQMY03sb0EJB--mTur8o0vl600H~AtNt5uyD1gu5jaQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Wake County","date","2025-07-07T00:00:00Z","article","The Wake County Sheriff's Office updated the Public Safety Committee on two community-focused programs: Project Lifesaver, which uses radio transmitters to quickly locate people with cognitive impairment who wander, and WellCheck, a daily automated check call program for older adults and people with special needs.

Wayne (Wake County Sheriff's Office) said Project Lifesaver — which the office described as a quick‑response tracking program started in February 2005 — enrolls vulnerable clients who wear a wrist or ankle transmitter and whose caregivers agree to daily battery checks. He said the program currently serves 45 clients and has a waiting list of 15 because some transmitters and receivers are out of warranty and funds are needed for replacements. Since January 2024, the sheriff's office reported eight Project Lifesaver activations for enrolled clients.

Wayne said eligibility requirements include county residency, a physician diagnosis of cognitive impairment, prior wandering behavior, 24‑hour caregiver supervision, and agreement to daily battery checks; the client is not charged for participation. Funding historically came from a volunteer support group and the Pilot Club of Raleigh, with some recent general-fund support, and the office said additional funding would be required to replace out‑of‑warranty equipment and to enroll more clients.

On WellCheck, Wayne said the program restarted in 2022 and currently has about 88 members, with organizers initially capping enrollment at 100 to reassess capacity. WellCheck places an automated call at 9 a.m. each weekday through Everbridge; members hear a recorded message and press 1 to confirm they are OK. If no confirmation is received by about 9:15, deputies contact emergency contacts and, if necessary, dispatch a deputy; Wayne described a target that a deputy car will be rolling by about 9:25 when calls go unanswered. The office also runs social events and outreach to recruit members, and staff reported two deceased members located through the program since its restart.

Committee members asked how Project Lifesaver and WellCheck are advertised; Wayne said Project Lifesaver has historically relied on volunteer fundraising groups and local referrals and that sheriff's office outreach and social media promote the WellCheck program. Commissioners recommended broader outreach and requested additional details on enrollment and advertising, which Wayne agreed to provide.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Wake County - Regular - Jul 07, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Wake County Sheriff's Office briefed the committee on Project Lifesaver (45 enrolled, 15 waiting list, 8 activations since Jan 2024) and the WellCheck elder program (about 88 members, daily automated checks), noting funding constraints for Lifesaver equipment and outreach avenues for both programs.","taxTitle","Wake County, North Carolina","taxId",3336,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6551995,"Wake County Fire Services uses travel-time data to guide future stations; 90th‑percentile travel time exceeds 7‑minute target",1029,6214000,7243000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5322128-6a0d9987fe02e55c1c35a95a3f273561&start=6214&end=7243","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5322128-6a0d9987fe02e55c1c35a95a3f273561/thumbnail_6214000.jpg","/articles/6551995/Wake-County/North-Carolina/Wake-County-Fire-Services-uses-travel-time-data-to-guide-future-stations-90thpercentile-travel-time-exceeds-7minute-target","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6551995-385287b359e4deb6987154e9a1da6796/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448048&Signature=TBxxlH5oxbcq5VbhWCxW1Q4NhiRXdwuf--W~Qf5YQAXsYMTIlIrKAVGQl6MkIs2pP8wGQXMLZcsRH0zV8PmNdzP02FOcb0zlcdX9C8VTWKm-uCBVlRjgyueGklvYp7RMxET72~FzmnQUlSSO6LBn01NGqjWXEDjc~CURCpLsrNK9DID6k3Ghdugx14sSTwijGXu6aHMgaFTBNp53EOgmweQkVvywtvrTtMAgMWIH52S6iU-RpH05SacvkE8M65v748~m1NdWT5joA12Z83nOo-haYN9lk-hHaSTF0mngcrEmBAxACCADsJS22kKx3rT5epkMjjsCSUBn5hEOje9USA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Wake County Fire Services presented long-range planning analysis that uses dispatch, incident and GIS data to evaluate response coverage and to prioritize station projects and staffing.

Chris (Wake County Fire Services) said the 2019–2020 assessment created performance metrics based on industry standards: a 90th‑percentile travel time goal of 7 minutes for the first arriving unit and a 12‑minute goal for assembling an effective response force (about 12–16 firefighters) for structure fires. The analysis examines alarm-handling time at the 911 center, turnout time (crews mounting apparatus) and first-unit travel time because remedies differ for each segment.

For the most recent six‑month period analyzed (October 2024–March 2025), the countywide 90th‑percentile first-unit travel time in unincorporated Wake County was 7 minutes, 28 seconds — achieving the 7‑minute goal about 86.6% of the time. Chris said hotspots where the goal is not met are investigated for root causes; one example in the Garner/Fuquay area included a closed intersection and new 540 alignments that require station placement changes. GIS heat maps of calls over the six‑month period informed a new Highway 42 Public Safety Center shown in the capital improvement plan for FY28.

Chris said additional CIP fire station projects over the next seven years were identified through the long‑range planning process. The department is also working on reducing alarm-handling and turnout times through continued coordination with the Raleigh‑Wake 911 center and by providing performance dashboards to crews; he said units use dashboards to track turnout metrics and spur safe, intra‑unit improvement.

Committee members asked about the scope of the analysis and whether it included fire tax districts such as Wendell; Chris confirmed the unincorporated-area analysis includes fire tax districts. Commissioners discussed root‑cause assessment, mutual aid and the standards applied to determine whether additional stations or staffing are the appropriate remedies.","A county long-range fire service study showed the 90th‑percentile first-unit travel time in unincorporated Wake County averaged 7 minutes 28 seconds over a recent six-month period, short of the 7‑minute target; the analysis is driving station projects in the capital plan including a Highway 42 Public Safety Center (FY28).",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6552000,"Nurse navigation program diverts calls from EMS, screens about 6,000 callers yearly",703,5119000,5822000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5322128-6a0d9987fe02e55c1c35a95a3f273561&start=5119&end=5822","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5322128-6a0d9987fe02e55c1c35a95a3f273561/thumbnail_5119000.jpg","/articles/6552000/Wake-County/North-Carolina/Nurse-navigation-program-diverts-calls-from-EMS-screens-about-6000-callers-yearly","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6552000-ac1f4dfe9ee2d6c6ef3470fce3fccf10/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448048&Signature=H2v54gw8w2fl~pS8CU1AIrS-6P37xZ4ll2aO5~~V8GzSlDEYD~4aX3P9AiplblxNUBB-ybTMWVmSAq7CtXj6bNAU8xQm~5t-6giIQEMQwpnOY1AXkW6pP2XtpqJitK8YIWRb8l9xCtaCrxNL5EJiSqwQDuW2utwJoLChL8CHp1H7Ymwu0MHXmxn1EES0pOGqRUf9A04XbO88RWOswf18Owd4VgORDkJsp-B6H-j2RtodxrXfk0rYrNglVMOJnozYwUaLex8bsjivhTkOEWV431BkdL5E4jwyD9GyewkpkcoR8Rva2BudaNmeA~ThjWP~7bk~EgUTlIPDoswjDkQfGA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Wake County officials told the Public Safety Committee the county's Nurse Navigation program has reduced unnecessary ambulance responses and delivered high patient satisfaction since its March 2022 pilot.

Jonathan (Wake County EMS) described NurseNav as a transfer option from the Raleigh-Wake 911 center for callers who do not appear to have life-threatening emergencies. Calls routed to nurse navigators are handled by Global Medical Response (GMR), a contracted multistate provider. The program began as an ARPA-funded pilot in March 2022 and is funded in FY26 through county general funds.

The department reported that in a year's worth of data NurseNav screened just over 6,000 patients and that 43% did not require an ambulance. Of that group, about 21% were managed at home with self-care and primary-care follow-up; another share was steered to urgent care or clinics, with nonemergency transportation coordinated when needed. For callers who required ambulance transport after nursing screening, 54% needed basic life support rather than paramedic-level advanced life support; only about 2.3% required ALS after screening.

Jonathan said the program reduces EMS responses by the equivalent of about seven responses per day — roughly 2% of annual EMS call volume — and reports very high patient satisfaction from follow-up surveys (about 96% very or highly satisfied). He said GMR currently has capacity to handle more calls and the county has not reached the contractor's limits.

Committee members asked about behavioral-health calls and 988. Jonathan said 988 is not integrated into 911; however, callers to 911 with behavioral-health emergencies can be routed to the nurse line and that the nurse navigators have tools to manage many callers in crisis or to provide care navigation. When callers lack a primary-care provider the nurse navigators provide local clinic referral information but do not directly register a patient with a primary-care physician.

Committee members discussed the program's funding shift from ARPA to county general funds, potential for safely expanding eligible call types and coordination with 911 dispatch to increase appropriate referrals to NurseNav.","Wake County's Nurse Navigation (NurseNav) program, operating since March 2022 and now funded in FY26 with general funds, screened just over 6,000 callers in one year; about 43% did not require ambulance transport and the program equates to roughly seven ambulance responses avoided per day.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6552003,"Wake County EMS reports staffing gains, new stations and rising transport volumes",968,3200000,4168000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5322128-6a0d9987fe02e55c1c35a95a3f273561&start=3200&end=4168","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5322128-6a0d9987fe02e55c1c35a95a3f273561/thumbnail_3200000.jpg","/articles/6552003/Wake-County/North-Carolina/Wake-County-EMS-reports-staffing-gains-new-stations-and-rising-transport-volumes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6552003-7cd0f5450bd33b361f2889669dc24731/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448048&Signature=FQ8jEHR7v-Mo4Us2NqO6B9XHlQPTEe5Nj68rQPp-iYnHx7QFjs4RIU9SyPZazOZzlfgqtSupXdBcVVVBqSmyLCFA0gWzSefHnYR1912lp~QPm0vGKLKtHYyPgH6~QcfQmL8Mbd~jJFLUGV7p6D5H~wqlDuaKNZt0GsomhJh4tXgbIETBZoqkYkAZ4N-T-0MGU0f7-PSe22npLgHVYlUmKXnh~LgGYZ81K5u~REZSKMpKVlT92zjKisX9XFKhzDbyxKgsawe5nQSgHONdDuof~ztYrTtxIwctTL1qQy1XMj0YJIYdok642-yzLoRqCi2JE5hnu9yQoeLyv4UazMLqTg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Wake County EMS on July 2025 briefed the Public Safety Committee on a midyear/beginning-of-fiscal-year update, reporting major staffing and capital progress and forecasting continued growth in demand for emergency medical transport.

Jonathan (Wake County EMS) told committee members that 10 ambulances approved in the 2025 budget were manufactured, placed into service and staffed during the past fiscal year. He said recruitment and retention efforts have substantially reduced EMS vacancies, from about a 22% vacancy rate in FY22 to roughly 4% at the end of FY25. \"We have a new academy sitting today that has 44 new employees in it,\" Jonathan said, noting the academy includes both EMTs and paramedics and that an entrant typically takes about 180 days to complete in-class and field training before working independently.

The department presented call-volume forecasts showing rising demand tied to Wake County population growth. Jonathan said the department predicts an average of about 281 patient transports to hospitals per day by the end of fiscal year 2026, with between 380 and 412 emergency responses per day and an expected roughly 5% year-over-year transport increase. He cited Wake County demographers and demographic shifts such as an increasing share of residents age 55 and older and higher Medicare-eligible populations as contributors to higher EMS utilization.

To meet demand, Wake EMS described capital and logistics efforts. The department opened a new three-bay Apex Main substation in May and said a Cary district station has broken ground. The county expects progress on several co-located regional stations through FY27 and FY28. Jonathan emphasized supply-chain and logistics improvements, including inventory-management changes and two new logistics FTEs to kit and restock ambulance supplies to reduce out-of-service time for ambulances.

Committee members asked about geographic demand, equipment supply chains and recruitment. Jonathan said demand modeling uses geographic analyses of where population growth occurs and that co-location with county fire partners is one method used to site new EMS posts. He said equipment purchases have a stable funding stream and that recent county investments focused on warehouse logistics and staffing for supply distribution. On recruitment he said \"recruiting has been much better than it was 2 or 3 years ago\" and highlighted relationships with Wake Tech, high school pipeline programs and neighboring counties for training pathways.

The department said continued emphasis on retention will accompany hiring as headcount stabilizes, and that EMS will pursue service-configuration changes and improved collaboration with the Raleigh-Wake 911 center to align staffing and geographic coverage with demand.","Wake County EMS told the Public Safety Committee it placed 10 ambulances from the 2025 budget into service, reduced vacancies from 22% in FY22 to about 4% by the end of FY25, expects average daily hospital transports of about 281 by the end of FY26 and is expanding stations and logistics to meet growth.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6552008,"Public Safety Committee approves May 5, 2025 meeting minutes",24,3166000,3190000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5322128-6a0d9987fe02e55c1c35a95a3f273561&start=3166&end=3190","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5322128-6a0d9987fe02e55c1c35a95a3f273561/thumbnail_3166000.jpg","/articles/6552008/Wake-County/North-Carolina/Public-Safety-Committee-approves-May-5-2025-meeting-minutes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6552008-2c9fb0b49f5aaf81277141f7a648cde3/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448048&Signature=DEJFhfAiki2c6mPcUCaSbzgCudiYEHkJjWAtSwMefUk-WyoaHhmMrKEXA~VYMBfI8xxfg3wOf7OzwkI4k0MjqvgRG8XAb123pEmvxRVVzS9ed8pEKFKT6Y5tWDWcRdfONcRQiiJudWmvHfFYowamlslgqjI5iefExlew8I6Xrhidjvh2QWfkfklcqh3MhHcOfIMsAd1hqeb4pJF3OV1281T31Dg~O2OsvmAbvd8zizQ5Iw-b9acZFju7ieexmFsdJp4a7y-TKgDNnRjWU21Fk8CrbxhDBk-GIAklgo0Z7md5naMd-~YPcJZtwqpMBG3itIWVGR5l6XdzN1pRddbklg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Wake County Public Safety Committee on a voice vote approved the minutes of its May 5, 2025 meeting. The committee chair asked for a motion to approve the minutes; a motion and a second were voiced and the chair called for an aye. \"Aye,\" was heard and the chair said the minutes passed.

The record does not identify who made the motion or who seconded it by name, and no roll-call tally was recorded in the transcript. The committee moved on to a scheduled EMS department update immediately after approving the minutes.","The Wake County Public Safety Committee approved minutes from its May 5, 2025 meeting by voice vote during the July 2025 meeting; the motion and second were not identified in the record.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Sheriff's Office updates Project Lifesaver and WellCheck programs; enrollment, capacity and outreach discussed

Wake County Fire Services uses travel-time data to guide future stations; 90th‑percentile travel time exceeds 7‑minute target

Nurse navigation program diverts calls from EMS, screens about 6,000 callers yearly

Wake County EMS reports staffing gains, new stations and rising transport volumes

Public Safety Committee approves May 5, 2025 meeting minutes