Welcome to

Around 60 percent of people with autism or Alzheimer’s have a tendency to wonder off…a scary scenario for family members. As Matt Galka tells us, lawmakers are hoping a trial program can prevent tragedies.

Floridians with family members suffering from Alzheimer’s or autism could be getting some help in the ongoing battle to keep their loved ones safe.

A bill passed Friday by the Senate will provide GPS trackers for people at risk of wandering.

“The bill creates a pilot program to aid in the search and rescue efforts, or those with special needs,” said Sen. Charlie Dean (R-Inverness).

The program is already in effect in Florida’s capitol city. Debbie Moroney runs the Alzheimer’s project in Tallahassee. She showed us one of the trackers they provide families.

“It could be very scary because you don’t know, for sure, where your individual has gone,” she said.

They have 85 bracelets so far and more people on a waiting list. The non-profit partners with the sheriff’s office who uses the GPS if someone goes missing.

“They have an opportunity, as soon as they find out their loved one is missing, to call the Sheriff’s department who immediately responds because the GPS can locate them rather quickly,” said Moroney.

Half of the Alzheimer’s Project’s patients are kids.

“Children are often drawn to water, so there’s always a concern about drowning when working with a child,” she said.

The group also foots the bill for the trackers. They cost around $300 bucks to buy plus another $100 dollars a year to maintain.

The bill passed by the Senate provides $200,000 dollars for the pilot program for seven North and South Florida counties.