Horry County Project Lifesaver

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It's simple. It's just the right thing to do!

Gordon Harris
[Project Manager]
843.915.8440
harrisg@horrycounty.org






Project Lifesaver International


Autism Advocate Foundation


National Alzheimer's Association

Families Affected by
at Risk Individuals

Over 26,000 individuals in South Carolina have autism spectrum disorders and these numbers rise daily.

The families that are enrolled in Project Lifesaver are much better off than before the program was initiated. A lost autistic child or Alzheimer’s patient is unaware of their situation and they do not call out for help and do not respond to people calling out to them. Nearly half of them will die and many can become injured or fall victim to predators if they are not located within 24 hours.

With Project Lifesaver, specially trained teams are deployed with the most reliable technology available to locate wandering and at risk persons. Since Project Lifesavers inception there have been over 1,500 searches conducted, the average search time was 30 minutes or less and all the lost persons were found unharmed. Search times have been reduced from hours and days to just minutes thereby reducing the monetary cost to Public Safety Departments.

Alzheimer's Well over 5 million people in the United States have Alzheimer's, and if you are not yet touched in some way by Alzheimer's or a related disorder, chances are you will be within the next several years. You will find it among neighbors, your friends, co-workers and their families, and perhaps within your own family.
» National Alzheimer's Association Autism According to a recent study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, the number of children being diagnosed with Autism is 1 out of 150, 1 out of 94 boys is diagnosed and every 20 minutes a new child is diagnosed with Autism. Autism is a lifelong disorder with no known cause or cure.

There are over 26,000 individuals in South Carolina that have Autism spectrum disorders. This is a vulnerable segment of our society that tends to be overlooked and put on the back burner. It is an ongoing battle to get the financial support, therapy and education is needed for our children.

Some of us may know someone with autism and the day-to-day challenges the family goes through. For example, a simple bath is not that simple. One major fear each family faces, is the fear that their child will wander off. Children with autism have been called great "escape artists" as they will find very creative ways to get away. If providing this program can help each mother and father of an autistic child sleep a little a better at night, then it is worth it. That may seem simple to most folks, but walk in their shoes where the word "simple" does not exist.

» Autism Advocate Foundation
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