Volusia Sheriff's Office launches 'Project Lifesaver' to prevent drowning deaths

Volusia Sheriff's Office launches 'Project Lifesaver' to prevent drowning deaths
Source: News 13

The Volusia County Sheriff's Office is joining a water safety campaign to help prevent drowning deaths after two children with autism went missing and died recently in Volusia County.

Sheriff Mike Chitwood announced they are launching Project Lifesaver, a comprehensive program designed to help people affected by a cognitive disorder that may lead to elopement or wandering.

In recent cases, 7-year-old Charlie Newton from Deltona and 4-year-old Waylon Childs from Ormond Beach wandered off from their homes before they were found dead in bodies of water.

"We have done a lot of research and what we're doing is we are partnering with the Community Partnership for Children, which is part of DCF. And we are going to launch a program called 'Project Lifesaver,'" Chitwood said.

Any child or adult enrolled in Project Lifesaver will wear a small personal transmitter around the wrist or ankle that emits an individualized tracking signal.

The sheriff's office will invest $35,000 to buy 100 devices and the Community Partnership for Children will buy 22 devices. Chitwood said the Department of Children and Families has identified 90 families that can benefit from this program.

"It's almost like our ankle monitors are once it's on. It's not coming off and law enforcement is able to track your child. So, God forbid, if they're near a body of water or whatever is going on, we will be alerted to that," Chitwood explained.

Through the VSO Autism Awareness Program, which allows families to register their address and contact information with the sheriff's office, Chitwood said they are partnering with Halifax Health and Easterseals of Northeast Central Florida in their "Project Lifeline."

"Our autism program that we have here in the sheriff's office is partnering with Halifax Health and Easterseals of Northeast Central Florida to provide swimming lessons and water lessons to any family that wants that," Chitwood said.

President and CEO of Easterseals of Northeast Central Florida Bev Johnson spends most of her time researching ways to keep children safe around bodies of water.

"Water is everywhere in our community and our children need to know survival skills," Johnson said.

Through education and awareness, Easterseals is raising funds to help those who can't afford services get devices that can help families of autistic children prevent drownings.

"We want to really get the message out about after these tragedies is that there are resources in this community. Everything from education to barriers, assistive devices, drowning prevention, survival swimming opportunities. And all of us are working towards making sure our kids, particularly our kids with special needs and our adults are safer in the community on a daily basis," Johnson said.

They hope these efforts will help families keep their loved ones safe.

"Sometimes having tragedy and maybe that's the legacy of Charlie and Waylon is unfortunately they're not here anymore, but maybe they'll do something that could help some other kid," Chitwood expressed.