A 73-year-old Califon man who went missing from his home
Sunday night was located following a police search that included the use of
drone equipped with an infrared camera.
The man who appeared to have suffered hypothermia, was
carried out of a wooded area on a stretcher and taken to the hospital, acting
Hunterdon County Prosecutor Michael J. Williams said in a release.
Williams praised detectives from the Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s
Office, the Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office’s SWAT Team, Lebanon Township
Police Department, Tewksbury Township Police Department and Readington Township
Police Department for their work in locating and caring for the man.
“I want to thank the police officers, detectives, and
medical service providers for their professionalism and outstanding service in
searching for, locating, and caring for the victim," Williams said.
According to Williams, the man was reported missing at
about 8:45 p.m. to the Lebanon Township Police Department. The man had last
been seen about 1:30 p.m. that day at his home on County Road 513.
The Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office, Lebanon
Township Police Department, Tewksbury Township Police Department and a
Readington Township K9 team conducted an initial search of a wooded area near
the man's home, but they were not able to locate him.
As the temperature dropped and out of concern for the
man's health, additional resources were called in to aid in the search.
Members of the Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office’s
SWAT Team responded to the scene, and a search team conducted both a ground and
an aerial search utilizing a drone equipped with a forward-looking infrared
camera. The man's body heat signature was located by the drone operator, who
guided the search team to the man's location, Williams said.
The search team provided medical care to the man who
appeared to be suffering from hypothermia before placing him on a stretcher and
carrying him out of the woods to a waiting ambulance.
Do you have a story of drones coming to the rescue or
assisting your agency? Please share in the comments.
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