Gene Saunders: Offering “At Risk” Individuals a helping hand to return home 

The United States of America has never been a stranger to “Social Visionaries.” The nation has seen the emergence of social entrepreneurs over the years, all pursuing different objectives but all striving to improve society while making a living. Elopement of at-risk individuals is one of the nation’s most common problems. An estimated 60% of people with Alzheimer’s disease who live in communities go missing at least once. Even more concerning, only 70% of at-risk people who escape from long-term nursing facilities survive the ordeal. If they are not located within a day, there is a much higher chance that they will suffer serious injuries or worse, as up to half of wanderers who go missing for longer than a day die badly.

Project Lifesaver International (PLI) is a prudent organization that works with public safety agencies and is strategically designed for “at risk” individuals prone to the life-threatening behaviour of wandering. In nearly 25 years of unmatched service, the organization has been a forerunner in timely response, saving more than 4000 lives, including adults and children. In this chapter of “Vanguard Visionaries: Top 20 Entrepreneurs of Excellence in 2024,” we are pleased to introduce Mr. Gene Saunders, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of this esteemed firm, as well as a distinguished Chief of Search and Rescue from the Chesapeake Sheriff’s Office. Read on to know how this man is making a difference.

The Beginning of an Amicable Purpose

With almost three decades of service, Mr. Saunders has contributed to breaking new ground and broadening the Chesapeake Police Department’s scope. He founded the Chesapeake Police Department SWAT Team and has a proven track record of managing large-scale tactical missions related to criminal manhunts, hostage rescues, as well as special cases. He also has an extensive military career, which included commanding Aviation and Ranger Units in the National and State Guard. 

After dedicating a lifetime to his country and community, it’s not surprising that he wanted to use his skills to help others. He developed the notion of a targeted program for the search and rescue of individuals suffering from cognitive impairments in 1999. Although no one else had thought of anything similar at the time, Mr. Saunders understood the need for it. Studying the relationship between cognitive states and wandering, he understood the need for this program. “I started small and allowed the idea and concept to take hold with member agencies and their communities,” says Mr. Saunders. With time and advent of advancements and the sharp rise in people with cognitive conditions, PLI became a force to reckon with. With over 2 decades of successful implementation, the program has gained recognition on a global scale as a tried-and-true approach to “Bringing loved one’s home.”

A Helping Hand for Individuals “At Risk”

Project Lifesaver International is a community-driven, charitable public safety organization that offers law enforcement, fire/rescue, and caregivers a program intended to protect and, when needed, promptly locate people vulnerable to potentially fatal wandering behaviour. In light of the rise in the number of individuals suffering from cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer’s, the organization offers creatively designed programs that strategically integrate cutting-edge locating technologies, inventive search and rescue techniques, and community policing courses that teach responders about cognitive conditions. When an agency chooses to put this program into practice, it provides the required tools and training, such as public safety courses on cognitive disorders. It offers agencies access to the PLS Database as well.

After receiving certification, an agency can start welcoming participants for its local program. Every participant in the program wears a tiny transmitter on their wrist or ankle. A professional emergency team is dispatched to the wanderer’s location if the caregiver discovers that the person is missing. The program, while sophisticated, lowers the amount of time, money, and labor required to locate a candidate. If a loved one elopes, caregivers can rest easy knowing they have a sophisticated method in-hand to find them.

Technology – A core pillar of PLI’s Growth

Technology is essential to PLI’s solution to the elopement problem, which it has been tackling for over 20 years. It is an expert at using a wide range of sophisticated locating tools, such as Radio Frequency (RF), that allow authorities to follow a person by tracking a signal from the transmitter. It is well-versed about GPS and A-GPS, which uses cell towers to pick up timing and positioning commands from satellites so users can track people precisely. 

This illustrates the importance of technology, but it is only a portion of the answer. Only when it benefits the wearer and caregiver can its effectiveness be properly understood. Its nationwide compatible program allows families to travel across states or cities without worrying about their beloved. In the event of a search and rescue, neighboring towns, counties, and cities will also be able to assist one another.

An Extensively R&D Driven Program

The creative design of Project Lifesaver is a result of the organization’s R&D expenditures. This guarantees that it is always outfitted with the most practical innovations to stop clients from straying and to provide quick rescue in the event of an unforeseen incident. One excellent example of R&D work is the in-house tracking system. Designed as a discreet smartwatch, caregivers can effortlessly monitor and interact with their loved ones through a smartphone application. The entire system is based on radio technology, and it uses GPS tracking to mark the wearer’s location. In a dire situation, users can use the SOS button on the wearable device.

Despite how beneficial this solution has shown to be for the agency and the caregivers, PLI is always setting new standards. “We’ve broken a lot of barriers with R&D,” Mr. Saunders says. “But adding a tracking drone has been important and challenging.” With this latest update, caregivers can now track from a drone, giving the agency more options in tracking and locating individuals who go missing. Although integrating this technology has proven difficult, the Project Lifesaver International team is making a conscious effort to make it more efficient.

Gene Saunders: A Man on A Mission

“Helping, fixing, and serving represent three different ways of seeing life”. 

Mr. Saunders’ life undoubtedly exemplifies the proverb, given his extensive and remarkable career and current role as a beacon of hope who has helped over 4,000 people reunite with their loved ones. While he is the one leading this mission, it is commendable how he has assembled a team of like-minded individuals. His leadership stems from the notion of military leadership. In a broad sense, military commanders steered through crises and could inspire their troops through action to success. His understanding of leadership and ability to keep the organization together reflects on his team’s attitude. The team ensures that the company always stays on top of everything, be it introducing innovations or innovative strategies. At the same time, team members are nurtured to the level that they can handle any scenario with care and without panicking. Such dedicated efforts channel positive energy and helps everyone stay updated on how they are doing in projects.

The organization has had its share of challenges over the years. Mr. Saunders explains, “It was a difficult obstacle we had to overcome to let other businesses collaborate with us but then seize control and make us follow their model.” Nevertheless, Mr. Saunders and his team kept the sails high. Today, PLI, with its nationwide program, is at the forefront of its dedicated purpose. Every life they have saved under Project Lifesaver is a milestone that cannot be duplicated.

Looking Ahead at Days of Glory

As PLI reaches its “Silver Jubilee,” Mr. Saunders continues to look at how they can break grounds towards the elopement issue. Beyond incorporating new innovations and strategies, he envisions the organization’s perpetual effort to grow its membership and improve training methods to be more effective in helping its member agencies to quickly locate wandering people.

Words to live by

“If you have a vision, act on it. The journey will not be easy but, Never Quit! Regardless of the situation, there is always one more thing you can do to resolve it. Stay calm and think through it.”

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