Frisco, Texas — EmFinders, maker of the life-saving EmSeeQ wearable locator device for adults and children with special needs, announced on Nov. 8 that its device was successfully used in the rescue of a lost child by the Chesapeake Sheriff’s Office in Virginia. The Sheriff’s Office tested and began using the EmSeeQ in Chesapeake on September 21, 2010, World Alzheimer’s Day.

The 10-year-old autistic child was reported missing by a caregiver on Thursday, October 28th at 2:45 p.m. After the caregiver alerted the child’s parent, the parent notified police and contacted EmFinders to activate the EmSeeQ. At 3:21 p.m. the device called 9-1-1 and triggered the E-9-1-1 national emergency location system to transmit the child’s location using advanced cellular signal triangulation technology. This location was immediately displayed on the 9-1-1 dispatcher’s screen, and relayed to the nearest patrolling officer.

Throughout the search, the dispatcher was able to continuously update the EmSeeQ device’s location, allowing the relay of real-time location data to the officer on the ground. The Deputy Sheriff followed the dispatcher’s instructions and located the child at 3:27 p.m. inside a shopping center, at the precise location provided by the EmSeeQ. Just 42 minutes elapsed between the initial missing child report and his safe rescue by law enforcement.

“EmSeeQ worked exactly as intended,” said Lieutenant Jenny O’Sullivan of the Chesapeake Sheriff’s Office. “It is both faster and easier than our previous technology–since we knew the exact location of the child, we did not have to mobilize a traditional search and rescue that takes time to organize and uses limited department resources.”

Before adopting EmSeeQ, the Chesapeake Police Department used a radio frequency (RF) location system, which requires significant new investment in equipment costs to affix receivers to police helicopters and cruisers. The EmFinders system, because it relies on existing E-9-1-1 location capabilities, not only provides a prompt and highly accurate location, but also carries no costs for the department.

Subsequent to this rescue, the Chesapeake Sheriff’s Office conducted another test of the device with a child wearing the EmSeeQ in the south part of the city. With the consent of the child’s parent, who was unaware of exactly when the test would be performed, the Chesapeake Sheriff’s Office instructed EmFinders to activate the EmSeeQ device, which again accurately provided the child’s location. Both the Sheriff’s Office and the mother were thrilled with the results.

“We are very pleased to hear our EmSeeQ device worked as expected to quickly reunite a wandering child with family members,” said Jim Nalley, CEO and founder of EmFinders. “The success of this operation is further proof that the EmSeeQ device gives law enforcement a more powerful tool that takes the ‘search’ out of search and rescue. Traditional searches typically consume at least $10,000 per day. But with EmFinders, departments can better manage human and financial resources, and those savings are passed directly on to taxpayers,” continued Nalley.

The EmSeeQ product is available in two different styles, a watchband-type device with a traditional buckle, and a clasp-style that requires two hands for removal. The device is activated by EmFinders at the request of the caregiver, but only after the caregiver has completed an initial search for the individual in the immediate area and placed a call to 911 to report the individual as missing. After receiving the activation command from EmFinders, the EmSeeQ calls 9-1-1 and the wearer’s location is provided directly to the dispatcher.