CALEB NICKERSON
SHAWVILLE April 13-14, 2019
On April 13 and 14, several members of the Shawville-Clarendon Fire Department received training and new radio tracking devices to aid in search and rescue operations.
The Shawville Lions Club donated $15,000 to the department to pay for the six trackers, two receivers and all the necessary training from Project Lifesaver International, a non-profit group that distributes the tracking devices.
The program is intended for local residents with dementia or special needs who have a tendency to wander.
Caregivers can purchase a tracking wristband for their loved one and in the event that they go missing, local first responders have a way of quickly tracking them down.
The project was spearheaded by Lion Tom Fahey, who heard about the program on the radio and looked into it further due to a friend of his who had Alzheimer’s. He explained that the wristbands will be available through the Golden Peak and registration is $100, with a monthly maintenance fee of $35. There is also a refundable wristband deposit of $100.
Fahey said that there are about a dozen OPP detachments with the devices, but that the SCFD will be the first department in Quebec with the equipment.
The training was conducted by Tim Caldwell, a Deputy in the Licking County Sheriff’s Office in Ohio who has been an instructor with Project Lifesaver since 2007.
He said that the program is usually used by police forces, but he’s also trained other first responders across both the US and Canada.
SCFD Chief Lee Laframboise explained that the training session was limited to seven firefighters, but once complete, they would all be certified to train other members of the department.
“I think it’s a good idea,” he said. “It’s just a matter of learning the equipment.”
