Gene Saunders: Providing Support and Protection to Vulnerable Individuals and their Caregivers

Gene Saunders

A happy family is one in which members love each other unconditionally. Yes, there may be differences due to the different nature of each individual. However, the love and care the members feel for each other goes beyond the differences. The members support and care for each other in happy as well as tough times like financial or medical problems. The support of family is crucial for people dealing with certain medical conditions like Alzheimer’s or other ailments that can lead them to life-threatening behaviors such as wandering or suicidal thoughts. However, mere family support is sometimes not enough and it takes the help of the community and leaders like Gene Saunders through his NGO Project Lifesaver, to keep the families happy and intact.

On a Lifelong Mission

After serving in the US Army and several other jobs, Gene Saunders became a police officer in 1968 at the Chesapeake, VA Police Dept. He served there for 33 years retiring as a Captain in 2001. During his police service, he commanded the Special Operations (SWAT) Team which included Search and Rescue and later the Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Team. Numerous searches for missing Alzheimer’s patients with poor results led him to find a new method to identify and locate them when they wandered and became lost. This led to the establishment of Project Lifesaver International before he retired.

Project Lifesaver is a 501 (C)(3) community-based, public safety, non-profit organization that provides law enforcement, fire/rescue, and caregivers with a program designed to protect, and when necessary, quickly locate individuals with cognitive disorders who are prone to the life-threatening behavior of wandering. The necessity of this program was determined through the correlation between cognitive conditions and the act of wandering. With the dramatic increase in cognitive conditions since the inception of the organization, the program has grown from a localized program to a program recognized internationally as a proven and effective method of “bringing loved ones home.” The search times for certified Project Lifesaver agencies have been reduced from hours, potentially days, down to minutes. Recovery times for Project Lifesaver agencies average 30 minutes, which is 95% less time than standard operations without Project Lifesaver.

Leveraging Technology

Project Lifesaver is completely technology driven utilizing radio and satellite technology to enhance the member agency’s ability to quickly locate and return lost non-cognitive persons. The Project Lifesaver Program is run at a municipality level by public safety agencies. When an agency decides to implement the program, Gene’s team equips them with the necessary technologies and provides training to those involved. The training includes the use of the equipment, the implementation of the strategic methods specifically designed for the program, and also community policing courses that provide a basic understanding of cognitive conditions to better comprehend the behaviors of an individual with said condition. Also included during training is the use of the PLS Database, which is a useful resource provided to member agencies at no cost.

The search method relies on proven radio technology and specially trained search and rescue teams. Citizens enrolled in Project Lifesaver wear a small transmitter on the wrist or ankle that emits an individualized frequency signal. If an enrolled client goes missing, the caregiver notifies their local Project Lifesaver agency, and a trained emergency team responds to the wanderer’s area. The first responders will then use the client’s individualized frequency to locate the position of the individual. “Our work is the community! We train and equip public safety agencies to locate lost non-cognitive persons, as well as, how to interact with them in social situations recognizing the disability and how to deal with it,” says Gene.

Keeping the Momentum

Gene served 33 years with the Chesapeake Police Department, serving in Patrol, Vice, Narcotics, Detectives, and Training. In 1974, he co-founded the Special Weapons and Tactics team, and during the next 23 years, he served as tactical commander and commander on over 800 operations. He served as the lead investigator on several multi-state, international narcotics, and organized criminal conspiracy investigations. During the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, he also worked as a shift commander for the Olympic Security Team at the soccer venue. 

Gene describes himself as a hard driver and goal-oriented leader. However, he prefers to set the standard for the staff and let them perform to achieve those goals. Speaking about the challenges he faced, Gene says, “Learning there are many people in the world who will attempt to take what you have worked for and make it theirs. I am more sensitive to those who inquire about what we do and how we do it and the reasons for the inquiries.”

With over 4000 rescues to date, we asked Gene if any particular case is close to his heart, to which he says, “After member agencies making over 4,000 rescues there are many that ring close to my heart but, one in Alabama locating a Down Syndrome client hanging over a river wall upside down thereby saving his life is one of the most notable.”

Gene and Project Life Saver have won various recognitions including:

  • Medal of Honor Foundation Citizen Honors finalist twice
  • IAOTP CEO of the Year, Man of the Year 2023
  • Lifetime Achievement Award,
  • Fearless Leader Award,
  • Global Leader Impact Award,
  • Global Excellence Man of Influence Award,
  • Bank of America Hero Award,
  • George Washington Foundation Honor Award,
  • CBS Radio Person of Distinction, Pilot International Hero Award.
  • 211 Organization Non-Profit Leader of the Year 2019,
  • Silver Star for Valor (3), Line of Duty Injury (3), Commendation Medal (3), US Presidential Commendation,
  • Humanitarian of the Year 2023.

Going Forward

Project Lifesaver is in a constant state of research and development to ensure the latest and most effective technologies are being utilized by the program both in the prevention of wandering and the recovery of a client in the event of elopement. All the development is focused on the primary mission which is to provide timely response to save lives and reduce potential injury for adults and children with the propensity to wander due to a cognitive condition.

“We will continue to improve our services and develop technology to greatly improve our member agencies’ capabilities in the area of locating non-cognitive lost persons,” concludes Gene.

Gene’s Message for Budding Entrepreneurs:

“Never Quit”! You will encounter many obstacles in your endeavors. There is always a way to continue in spite of them.

Quote: “You are only as good as your last Op”.

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