The Santa Clarita Autism Asperger Network is offering a new technology device to the public that can assist Santa Clarita Sheriff’s Deputies in their efforts to quickly locate individuals who may become lost due to conditions such as Alzheimer’s or autism.

Recent news about a child with autism running away from school and being lost overnight in the woods near Lake Arrowhead  brings this issue close to home for many local families. SCAAN is pleased to offer wearable locator devices at a discounted cost to Santa Clarita area children and adults with autism, Alzheimer’s intellectual disability and related disorders.

The SCAAN safety initiative is a collaborative effort with the City of Santa Clarita, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Santa Clarita Valley Station, and the Santa Clarita Valley Senior Center.

“This new system works directly with the emergency 911 mobile system, providing our Sheriff Deputies with an enhanced ability to quickly locate missing special need individuals and reunite them with their families,” Mayor Marsha McLean said.

The new locater device uses cellular triangulation technology that can assist Sheriff Deputies in tracking the whereabouts of a missing person, just about anywhere.

“With the ability to quickly locate a missing person, this system offers tremendous piece of mind to families with at-risk individuals,” said Kevin Tonoian, the city’s Technology Services Manager, who was instrumental in bringing the new technology to Santa Clarita.

Not only is this a wonderful tool for families and their loved ones, the new locator system can significantly reduce the amount of time and resources needed during search and rescue operations and save taxpayers thousands of dollars in law enforcement costs, he said.

For information about obtaining a locater device for children and adults with autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability, Alzheimer’s, or related disorders in the Santa Clarita CA area, contact Emily Iland with SCAAN at 661-297-4205 or email emilyiland(at)gmail.com. Individual families who use the devices are responsible for registering the device and paying a monthly fee of $25 for location services.

The new technology system works in conjunction with the Santa Clarita Special Needs Registry (SNR), an existing confidential safety program available at no cost for residents in Santa Clarita. The SNR, maintained by the city and SCAAN, provides Sheriff Department personnel with secure access to information to help people with special needs that may become lost, injured, or need special assistance in an encounter with first responders. Families provide key information including a photograph, contact information, special medical and behavioral concerns, and accommodations that may be needed to interact with the individual.

Hundreds of local men, women and children are already enrolled in the SNR as a proactive safety measure. The Special Needs Registry has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Lessons Learned website as a model safety tool for the country.

On Wednesday, the SNR was awarded Diamond Award, the highest honor for a community safety project from the Southern California Chapter of the California Emergency Management Association. Santa Clarita residents are encouraged to enroll a family member in the secure, protected database online at https://www.secure-santa-clarita.com/ClearSCV.

Information about the new locator system can be found on the City’s website at https://www.santa-clarita.com/SNR

For information about the EmFinders emergency locator system, visit www.emfinders.com

For information and support for autism in Santa Clarita visit SCAAN’s website at www.santaclaritaautism.org