Just a few months ago, an autistic child went missing aboard Quantico. It took authorities awhile to figure out where and who the child was, because of his non-verbal nature, Monique O’Neil, manager at the Exceptional Family Member Program, told a small group of military family members at the McHugh Woods Community Center on March 24, 2014.

Nearly half of children with autism will run away or go missing at least once before their 17th birthday, according to an American Academy of Pediatrics study.

To improve safety of children aboard Quantico, EFMP staff invited Deputy J.L. Hamilton, crime prevention deputy from the Stafford County Sherriff’s Office, to demonstrate “Project Life Saver.” It’s a non-profit program administered by the Stafford sheriff’s office to locate wandering family members using a tracking system to prevent tragedies caused by the elements, accidents or crime.

“We want to make sure that we provide a good infrastructure for families with special needs dependents to make sure they’re safe, and if they run off, we want to be able to find them in a timely manner,” O’Neil said.

Officers from Quantico’s Provost Marshal’s Office were also present to learn about the monitoring system. With “Project Lifesaver,” special needs dependents wear a small plastic bracelet that emits a constant tracking signal. If they go missing, the sheriff’s department uses a tracking device and specially trained search-and-rescue team to find them.

Hamilton demonstrated how the pulse-carrier wave radio frequency tool finds a subject by attaching the bracelet on O’Neil’s wrist. As she wandered outside the community center, Hamilton was able to see her exact coordinates and how long she stayed at a particular spot. He said the device can locate a subject within a three-mile radius.

“If the child gets a ride with someone, [and travels farther away,] we will contact other jurisdictions and give officers their unique frequency number so they can drive to major highways to track the signal,” Hamilton said.

The goal is to reduce recovery time, which Hamilton said is even more crucial in areas that have bodies of water within walking distances. At Quantico, there are several reservoirs including the Chopawamsic Creek, Potomac River as well as other small creeks.

“In my experience, I’ve noticed that children with Down syndrome, autism [and other related mental dysfunction disorders] have an affinity to water,” Hamilton said.

Master Gunnery Sgt. Christopher Benke, provost sergeant at the Provost Marshal’s Office, said “Project Life Saver” also helps improve efficiency among his force.

“This program is beneficial because, in the case of an emergency where an exceptional family member gets lost, it provides [military police officers] a way to assist the family more readily in locating the child in a quick and expedient manner,” Benke said.

There is a one-time $230 fee for equipment and a $25 monthly fee for monitoring. It’s a cost O’Neil doesn’t want to impose on families.

“We would like to make this part of our ‘Loan Locker’ program by purchasing several receivers, so that when a family comes on base they can save on the upfront cost,” said O’Neil. “However, families would still be responsible for the $25 monthly fee.”

EFMP’s “Loan Locker” program lends equipment like generators to EFMP families who use life-critical machines. Military members would just return the equipment before moving to another installation.

The Stafford program only serves its county and Quantico residents, because of jurisdiction limitations. Families who live in other areas like Prince William County or Fredericksburg are advised to register with their local sheriff’s office. To enroll, call EFMP at 571-931-0524 regarding the “Loan Locker” program and then the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office at 540-658-4428 for registration.

Writer: afelton@quanticosentryonline.com