When a child who wanders goes missing, minutes matter. Project Lifesaver is one of the tools some Florida sheriff's offices use to shorten searches. It is not available everywhere, the rules differ by county, and information online is often out of date. This guide explains how the program works, lists what we could confirm on official Florida agency pages as of October 20, 2026, and gives you a script for asking your own sheriff's office.
What is Project Lifesaver?
Project Lifesaver International describes itself as a search-and-rescue program "operated internationally by public-safety agencies" for people who are prone to wandering "due to autism, Alzheimer's disease, dementia or other cognitive conditions." It combines locating technology, search methods for people with cognitive conditions, and training for first responders. The organization dates its work to 1999.
Florida sheriff's offices that run it describe the same basic model:
- The enrolled person wears a small transmitter, usually on the wrist or ankle, that sends out an individual tracking signal.
- When the person goes missing, the caregiver calls the sheriff's office (or 911).
- Trained deputies go to the area and search with tracking receivers, on the ground and in some counties from the air.
The Charlotte County Sheriff's Office describes its wristband as "a one-ounce battery-operated wrist transmitter that emits an automatic signal every second, 24 hours a day," which can be tracked "on the ground or in the air over several miles." The Osceola County Sheriff's Office says recovery times for its clients "average 30 minutes." Those are each agency's own descriptions; results in any one search depend on the circumstances.
Which Florida counties offer it?
This table lists what we found on official sheriff's office pages, checked October 20, 2026. A county missing from the list may still have a program; we simply could not confirm it on an official page. Always call to confirm current availability, eligibility and any cost.
| County | What the official page shows | How to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte | Charlotte County Sheriff's Office offers Project Lifesaver to residents, for adults and children who wander due to Alzheimer's, autism and related conditions. It also runs "Take Me Home," a free non-tracking registry for people who cannot speak for themselves. | CCSO Community Affairs, 941-575-5345 |
| Osceola | Osceola County Sheriff's Office partners with Project Lifesaver International to locate wandering children and adults. | 407-785-0270 |
| St. Lucie | St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office partners with Project Lifesaver International for people who wander due to conditions such as Alzheimer's or autism. | 772-871-5303 or ProjectLifesaver@stluciesheriff.com |
| Brevard | Brevard County Sheriff's Office runs Project Lifesaver for adults and children with cognitive disorders who may wander. | Community Services Unit, 321-264-7755 |
| Volusia | A Volusia Sheriff's Office news release dated December 5, 2024 announced it was joining Project Lifesaver and offering its Autism Awareness Program registry. | projectlifesaver@volusiasheriff.gov |
| Walton and Madison | Each sheriff's office has a Project Lifesaver program page. | Contact each sheriff's office |
| Palm Beach | PBSO's website hosts a brochure for Project Lifesaver of Palm Beach County revised in July 2010, naming PBSO as a partner. We could not confirm the current program on an official page. | Call PBSO's non-emergency line and ask |
| Hillsborough | A Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office press release from September 2009 announced a Project Lifesaver service with Tampa Police. We could not confirm the current program. | Call HCSO's non-emergency line and ask |
| Duval, Highlands, Orange, Broward, Polk and others | We did not find an official page confirming a program. | Ask your sheriff's office (see the script below) |
Hope Center serves families in several of these areas, including Palm Beach, Hillsborough, Charlotte, Duval and Highlands counties, which is why we checked those first. Online lists, news stories and older brochures often stay up long after a program changes, so treat any third-party list with caution.
How does Project Lifesaver compare with other options?
Project Lifesaver is one layer. This comparison shows how it fits with other tools families use.
| Option | Who runs it | What it does | Main limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Lifesaver | Participating sheriff or police agency | Deputies track a radio transmitter after you report your child missing | Only in participating counties; band must be worn and maintained; does not prevent leaving |
| Sheriff registries (such as Charlotte's "Take Me Home" or Volusia's Autism Awareness Program) | Local sheriff | Store a photo, description and contact details so deputies can act fast | No tracking; only in some counties |
| Consumer GPS trackers | Private companies | Show location in a parent's app | Charging, signal, subscription and privacy questions |
| Door and window alarms | You | Warn you at the moment of exit | Someone has to hear and respond |
| County special needs registry | County emergency management (s. 252.355) | Disaster planning for evacuation and shelter | Not a missing-person tool |
Our guide to GPS trackers and door alarms compares consumer devices in more detail.
What should I ask my sheriff's office?
Call the non-emergency number listed on your sheriff's official website (not 911). You can use this script:
"Hi, my child is autistic and has a history of wandering. Does your agency offer Project Lifesaver or another program for people who wander, like a registry? Who is eligible, is there a cost, and how do we enroll?"
Follow-up questions worth asking:
- Who is eligible? Some programs require a history of wandering and a caregiver at home.
- Is there a cost for the band or the monthly service, or is it covered by donations or grants?
- How often does the battery or band need to be changed, and who does it?
- Can the band be worn on the ankle, and what if my child will not tolerate it?
- Does the program cover my child at school, at a grandparent's house in another county, or on vacation?
- Do you keep a photo and description on file, and how do I update it?
- What should I say when I call to report my child missing?
If your county has no program, ask whether deputies use any registry for people with autism or other disabilities, and whether they offer home safety visits or water safety programs.
What else can I do with law enforcement?
- Introduce your child. Some families share a one-page profile with their local district or station: photo, how the child communicates, what calms them and places they are drawn to. See our guide to autism and police encounters in Florida.
- Use the new state tools as your child grows. Florida's SAFE vehicle-record flag, the "D" designation on IDs and the blue envelope and blue card program (requests open January 1, 2027) are voluntary ways to share a diagnosis with officers. See our blue envelope guide.
- Know the first steps. If your child is missing, call 911 right away and check nearby water first. Florida law (s. 937.021) requires the agency to alert its on-duty officers immediately. Our page on what to do if your autistic child is missing has the checklist.
Can ABA help my child wear a tracking band?
Often, yes. Wearing a band all day is hard for some children because of touch sensitivity. A Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) can build tolerance in small, rewarded steps, starting with a few seconds, and can also teach skills that reduce wandering in the first place, such as asking before going outside and stopping when called. At Hope Center, every program is written by a BCBA and reviewed by our clinical director, and parents are trained weekly. To talk about wandering and safety goals, contact us or call 561-337-8865 for a free consultation and a free insurance benefits check.