The man, whose name was not released, had been missing for several hours when ALEA brought in its helicopter to assist with the search. The chopper crew ultimately found the man and helped guide ground units to his exact location through the Project Lifesaver system.
“Project Lifesaver is an invaluable program designed to aid in the rescue of individuals who wander because of autism, Down syndrome, Alzheimer’s, dementia or other cognitive conditions,” Secretary of Law Enforcement Spencer Collier said. “Because the elderly man was wearing a Project Lifesaver bracelet, rescue efforts were reduced from hours to mere minutes. Once in the area of the missing man, ALEA’s Aviation Unit guided ground units to the area and located him safely in less than 15 minutes.”
ALEA Aviation has responded to situations in each of Alabama's 67 counties since 2010 and is responsible for 369 successful rescues and captures. Crews have responded to 537 missing persons requests, 949 search requests and 1,240 emergency requests in that span of time.
Collier has reason to worry, however, as Alabama's legislators have yet to come up with a solution to a huge hole in the state's budget. Governor Bentley has been outspoken in his position that new revenue is needed, to the tune of $300 million, to keep the state afloat. Legislators have pushed back, vowing not to raise taxes and instead pushing for more cuts to Medicaid and state agencies.
“Proposed budget cuts of 22 to 47 percent will dramatically hinder -- if not halt -- our Aviation Unit’s lifesaving rescue efforts provided to the citizens of Alabama," Collier warned. " We ask that citizens contact their Legislators and ask them to support Governor Bentley’s solution to the budget crisis and put our state on a strong path forward.”
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