Barrie business owners are being asked to fund a project that could help the most vulnerable people who live in Simcoe County.
The Barrie Chamber of Commerce is trying to bring Project Lifesaver to the region. The kits, which cost about $2,000 each, include a radio transmitter and receiver. That transmitter is linked through a unique frequency to a bracelet worn by a vulnerable person.
“It's not just seniors that can benefit or people with dementia or Alzheimer’s. Kids with autism or anyone that has that tendency to wander; they're going to benefit from having this,” says OPP Const. Marylou Schwindt.
The Barrie Chamber of Commerce wants to buy kits for local emergency responders and make bracelets available to families at $400.
“It is tried and true and it works. We need it here in Barrie more than ever,” says Kris Hughston with the chamber.
The case of Mandy Thompson, who went missing earlier this year, has heightened awareness about the issue. There are more than 8,000 seniors with dementia in our region.
“I’ve sat with a family who has a loved one missing and it is awful. So for the family; it gives them peace of mind,” says Elizabeth Kent of Victim Services Wellington.
“We often see people with dementia, who are in those situations, might not make the same choices they would if they didn’t have that pressure,” says Laura-Lynn Bourassa of the Alzheimer’s Society.
The chamber hopes to have funds need to buy the kits by August.
