A person who spent 16 years as Nipissing’s Member of Parliament is featured in a new promotional video in support of Project Lifesaver.
Bob Wood has been a strong advocate for awareness of the effects of Alzheimer’s since his diagnosis in 2018.
“In the mid stage of dementia, a person can remain quite mobile while becoming increasingly at risk of going missing”, says Stan French, President of BAYSAR Air Search and Rescue. “Having reached that stage about a year ago, Bob and his family decided to increase his safety by becoming a Project Lifesaver client. Normally, the identity of our clients is protected in much the same way as confidential medical information. However, given Bob’s reputation in the community, Bob and his wife Carol were more than happy to share their experience and let others know how Project Lifesaver can help keep vulnerable persons safe.”
Through the program, body worn radio transmitters are worn to help police quickly locate missing people of all ages with cognitive disorders.
“The average search time to find a missing person enrolled in Project Lifesaver is 30 minutes,” says Jeff Warner, North Bay Police Service Inspector of Operations. “If you have an at-risk relative, friend, or loved one, please encourage their membership in Project Lifesaver.”
City police, BAYSAR Air Search and Rescue, North Bay and Nipissing West OPP, One Kids Place, and the Alzheimer Society are involved in the project, which was produced in partnership with the Media, Film and Visual Arts class at West Ferris Secondary School.
Officials say teacher Robin Bartlett agreed to take on the project as a learning experience for some of her students.
The production team included grade 12 students Cyrus Hachkowski, Garrett Hersemeyer, Annabelle Francis, and Rebecca Marshall.
The North Bay Police Service joined Project Lifesaver with BAYSAR Search and Rescue in November 2020.
The OPP in North Bay and West Nipissing got involved in June 2021.
