Services for Seniors at Home
Introducing Take Me Home and SafetyNET
From the Desk of Sheriff Bob Gualtieri
In 2019, 430 adults and 701 juveniles were reported missing in Pinellas County. Locating missing persons can often prove difficult. It is even more challenging when the missing person is elderly or disabled. The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office utilizes two programs that help deputies quickly identify and locate missing people—Take Me Home and SafetyNET.
Take Me Home is a voluntary enrollment program for people with a medical condition or developmental issue that impedes effective communication, and who may need special assistance if they find themselves alone or in an emergency. If the person is unable to speak, properly identify themselves, becomes disoriented, or acts in a manner that could be misinterpreted by first responders, the responding deputy can query the Take Me Home system and search the person’s name or physical description. Once the person’s record is found, the deputy can take the necessary action to assist the person. Families or caregivers can register their loved one in the Take Me Home system by providing a recent digital photo, description of height and weight, demographic information, and emergency contact information. In order to participate in the program, two new photographs every two years must be submitted and information must be kept up to date. Using the system is free, and all of the information is confidential, only to be used as a tool to ensure the safety of those enrolled.
SafetyNET is a proactive approach to ensure families know where their loved ones are at all times. SafetyNET uses a personalized wristband that emits a tracking signal to help locate persons with Alzheimer’s disease, autism, and other special needs. Due to the circumstances of their conditions, these individuals may have a tendency to wander away from home.
If a person with a SafetyNET wristband goes missing, the caregiver can call 911, and trained search teams will use the tracking signal in the wristband to locate them. Rescue times average about 30 minutes. The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office uses SafetyNET and Take Me Home within their areas of jurisdiction.
You can purchase or lease SafetyNET Tracking Systems online at www.safetynettracking.com or by calling 877-434-6384. To enroll in the Take Me Home program, contact the Crime Prevention and Community Awareness Unit by calling 727-582-2222.