Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Community Safety Programs topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Sheriff's Office updates Project Lifesaver and WellCheck programs; enrollment, capacity and outreach discussed
Summary
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.
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.
