Missing Adult Located Within 17 Minutes With SafetyNet System

Press Release 05/23/2013

On May 23, 2013 at approximately 5:04 p.m. deputies were notified of a missing elderly male. It was learned that Robinson walked away from his residence and his location was unknown. Robinson suffers from dementia and was considered endangered. Deputies learned that Robinson was wearing a SafetyNet bracelet and deputies were able to obtain the frequency number for Robinson and relayed the information to Hillsborough deputies with the SafetyNet tracking equipment. Hillsborough aviation equipped with the SafetyNet receiver was able to pick up Robinsons location and relay to patrol units to his location. After approximately 17 minutes of the tracking equipment being activated, Robinson was located in the area of Anderson Road and Elmfield Drive.

In September of 2009, the Sheriff’s Office, in partnership with Tampa Police Department announced the launch of Project Lifesaver for citizens in Hillsborough County with cognitive disorders. Project Lifesaver was designed to drastically reduce the time and manpower involved to locate a person who may wander or become lost.

Each Project Lifesaver client, monitored Tracking Safety Net, has a transmitter attached to their wrist called the “Personal Locator Unit”. When a client becomes missing specially trained deputies utilize SafetyNet Search and Rescue Receivers to locate the subject.