We were traveling home from our son and his daughter’s birthday party in Salisbury on a recent Saturday night. Stormy’s (our convertible) top was down and I was scrutinizing the storm-brewing clouds. As we approached an overpass, “Silver Alert” flashed on the variable-message sign, along with a number to call for information.

“What’s that?” Randy asked.

“It means an elderly person has gone missing,” I replied, and then realized I knew little else about this program. When we arrived home, I had already received an email from my daughter Amy whose family had also seen the Silver Alert on their return trip. “This would make an interesting topic for a future column,” she noted and directed me to the NC Public Safety website. I also conversed with communications manager Stephanie Chatman and Lieutenant Chris Gattis of the Burlington Police Department who provided additional information on this topic.

What is Silver Alert?A program designed to quickly circulate identifying information when an adult with dementia or other cognitive impairment goes missing, with the purpose of locating them as soon as possible. North Carolina established this program in 2007 and it is operated through the N.C. Center for Missing Persons with the cooperation of local and state law enforcement agencies. Participation by commercial radio and television broadcasters, cable television and the N.C. Department of Transportation (thus the variable-message sign alert) is voluntary. A goal is that by providing this information, citizens in the affected area can be utilized in helping to locate the person and notifying local law enforcement.

When will an alert be activated?The Center for Missing Persons has set the following criteria:

• The person is believed to be missing
• The person must suffer from dementia, Alzheimer’s or a similar cognitive disability. Some states limit silver alerts to persons age 65 and older but North Carolina does not.
• The legal custodian has submitted a missing person’s report to the local law enforcement agency where the person went missing
• The local agency has reported the incident to the Center for Missing Persons, which is the only agency that can activate the alert.

What information will be made public?Using media outlets, the name and description of the missing person will be made available. When the person missing is believed to be on foot, a reverse 911 system may be used to notify residents of the surrounding neighborhood where the person was last seen. If the person is believed to have been in a vehicle, the description and license plate number is released and highway variable message sign alerts are utilized. To protect the missing person from potential exploitation, specific health information is not publicized.

Health-care statistics show that almost six in ten dementia sufferers will wander away from home at least once. Finding them quickly is paramount. Of those who remain missing longer than 24 hours, half face serious injury or death.

Lieutenant Gattis provided these statistics from the BPD: 5 Silver Alerts were issued in 2014; 2 in 2015; and 6 so far this year. In each of these cases, there was a safe return home. Thanks to the Burlington Police Department and all caring citizens who responded to insure the safety of our loved ones.