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Safety group puts bright idea into motion Detection lights intended to help seniors navigate in the dark By JOHN DARLING MEDFORD - In an effort to decrease crime and increase seniors' peace of mind, area volunteers and businesses are installing 5,000 free motion-detector lights on homes of those over age 60. "The demand is overwhelming," said Ed Temple, crime prevention administrator and chair of SALT (Seniors and Law Enforcement Together), the group overseeing the project. "They reduce falls and accidents, make a well-lighted path for you to get to your front door at night, and they have a surprise value that deters theft." The device, mounted under the eaves, illuminates yards with a 300-watt light when it detects motion. The project is funded by Asante Health System, ACCESS, Rogue Valley Manor, Providence Medford Medical Center and Evergreen Federal Bank. Hubbard's Ace Hardware is providing the lights at cost and the AARP provided materials for SALT to train more than 100 volunteers to install the lights. Backgrounds of all the volunteers have been checked by police. The first light, valued at $40, is installed for free. A second light may be obtained for $20. "It's a wonderful safety program and really helps seniors feel comfortable in their homes at night," said Sherrie Messer, director of the Lions Center. More than 230 people asked for the lights the first week of the program. To be eligible, you must be a resident of Jackson County, age 60 or older, live in a single-family home or duplex, have an existing electrical outlet no more than 10 feet off the ground, sign a liability release and be present when the volunteer installs it. The lights are free to all callers, regardless of income; however, a $20 donation is welcome from those who can afford it to cover costs, Temple said. The lights can be triggered by neighborhood animals, so users are instructed not to panic each time they go on, he said. "We know they work to reduce crime, because we sometimes see where someone has been walking down the street pulling car thefts, then stop where there was a motion detector light, then start up again when they were past it. It's real value is in peace of mind." Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.