Amazing Drone Video Captures Night Rescue of Missing Elderly Man

Around 4:30AM Monday, Grant County Deputies were able to locate and rescue an elderly man who had wandered away from his home.

Grant County Sheriff Tom Jones reported the man suffered from Dementia, had walked away from his family's home near Hartline around 1:30AM and they had no idea where he was. A 911 call sent the Hartline and Almira Volunteer Fire Departments and the use of a drone.

The man was literally in the middle of nowhere, as he was about two miles north Almira, which is a little over two miles east of Banks Lake in rural Grant County.

After several hours of searching, the drone picked up on a heat signature from a slowly moving man. The drone operator guided rescue units to the area; after observing the person had laid down in some tall grass. Keep in mind, despite flashlights and vehicle spotlights from the units, this was pitch black darkness.

The video shows the tiny white outline of the man, then you see a couple of rescuers coming into view from the left part of the screen.  The 70-year-old man was rescued, and was not injured. The drone operator literally guided the rescuers in by telling them 'turn left' or 'turn right' or 'straight' and led them to where the man was. You can also see the K-9 unit's coming in as they were part of the search. This image shows a 'triangle', the man and two rescuers to the left (video still image).

Sheriff Jones profusely thanked the Almira and Hartline volunteers as well as the drone operator; without his help it's not likely the man would have been located as fast. Temperatures overnight in that area have dropped into the mid to low 30's and the man might have given in to hypothermia.

Watch the video below. (Grant County Sheriff's Department).

 Besides the K-9's who helped with the search, dogs are have a lot of traits you may not know about.