TYLER, Texas — Project Lifesaver (PLS) helped Tyler police locate a man with dementia who wandered off Sunday night in Smith County.
According to the Alzheimer's Alliance of Smith County (AASC), Ernest Blanton, of Tyler, had wandered into a wooded area. His wife then called the Tyler Police Department and gave them his PLS tracking number,
“We are very thankful to have the bracelet,” said Claudia Blanton, Ernest Blanton’s wife. “We would be at a loss without it. When he leaves, he walks so fast. To me, it is a Godsend. I appreciate Tyler Police Department; they put everything on hold to find him. There were officers everywhere.”
The AASC says the 24/7 waterproof bracelet is equipped with a radio tracking device with a frequency police can dial into.
According to the AASC, PLS is responsible for the rescue of more than 2,000 people to date in the U.S.
"When a senior with dementia is missing, it is classified as critical, because we know they can often get injured or worse," said TPD Public Information Officer Det. Andy Erbaugh "Having this partnership with Project Lifesaver helps us to find people so much faster. The officer who deployed the PLS for this latest incident said it would have been very difficult if not impossible to have found him without it.”
"Survival rates of dementia wanderers fall to about 34% after 24 hours, according to the National Alzheimer's Association," the AASC said.
“There is a reason it’s called Project Lifesaver,” said marketing and education coordinator for the AASC Rebecca Smith. “For someone living with dementia, wandering can be life-threatening because they can easily be confused or stranded out in the elements. We are so thankful Tyler PD was able to locate this client as soon as they did.”
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