NEBRASKA CITY – Nebraska City Police Chief Ben Murry advocated for Project Lifesaver Wednesday after a eight-year-old boy described as non-verbal and autistic was reported missing from a north 16th Street residence.

A cleaning crew at a nearby residence noticed the boy inside the house and called police to end the search after an hour. Murry said the Project Lifesaver program the department started this winter could have ended the search in five minutes.

 Ofc. Casey Walters checks equipment, batteries after 60 days

A Weeping Water man donated the initial equipment for Nebraska City to start the Project Lifesaver program, which uses bracelet transmitters that police can track using a receiver that does not rely on cell service or WiFi.

Murry: “We could’ve taken these pieces of equipment here, gone out, done a quick 360 and it would’ve given us a direction of travel for the child. We could have followed this right to him.”

Without a direction of travel Wednesday, police called for Nebraska City Fire and Rescue to assist in a search that included the North Table Creek.

Murry: “Had this child had a Project Lifesaver bracelet, he would’ve been located within minutes rather than an hour.”

The police department currently has two children registered and Officer Casey Walters says there are bracelets available for several more to sign-on. The program relies on donations for more bracelet transmitters, which cost $300 each.

Murry said parents of autistic children often look for cities with Project Lifesaver programs before traveling. Nebraska City police can use its receiver equipment  to track any child when they are provided a bracelet code.

Antennas that can be placed on police cars can get an indication of a bracelet within a range of about two miles. Once there is an indication, the hand-held receivers are used for a precise location.

Chief Murry said he is hoping for enough donations to also provide the fire department with receiver equipment.