Officer’s Hunch Saves Senior Citizen After He Wanders Away From Hospital On Freezing Night

Jan 31, 2022 by apost team

An elderly man went missing from a hospital in Chesterfield on Dec. 1, 2021. The night’s temperatures were freezing, and the man – who is in his eighties – was being treated for an infection at Chesterfield Royal Hospital. However, he left the medical establishment in a confused state of mind late that night and was nowhere near dressed for the cold weather conditions, wearing only a sweater, a pair of pants and a thin jacket.

Police officers went on an extensive search looking for the elderly hospital patient as they knew how important it was to find him and bring him back to the hospital where it would be safe and warm. They searched the surrounding area thoroughly, but still couldn’t find the missing man. 

While the Derbyshire Police were in the process of trying to get a helicopter to search the area north of the hospital, one officer decided that he wanted to use a drone to check the area south of the hospital. The force had already been using the drone, but the officer just wanted to be as thorough as possible. Fortunately, his gut feeling paid off, as police were able to find and locate the elderly man using the drone, and eventually brought him back to the hospital, ultimately saving his life.

In January 2022, more information about that December night was released, including the drone footage that showed the elderly man being found and rescued. The man’s relatives have since applauded the police force for their efforts and smart thinking that ultimately led to the elderly man being rescued.

After an elderly man went missing from a hospital, police embarked on an extensive search. According to the Derbyshire Times, the man had made a call to a relative explaining that he was at a bus stop in Brimington, which was miles away from the Chesterfield Royal Hospital. Officers searched the area and used a drone, but couldn’t find him.

However, Sergeant Kev Harrell decided to use the drone’s remaining battery to check south of the hospital. Video footage from the drone was later uploaded to YouTube in January 2022. “My heart skipped a beat when I located a heat source in a field – a heat source of a person – in a ditch behind some houses,” Harrell said. “I guided local officers in with the aid of the floodlight on the drone and it was great news – the heat source was the missing man we had been looking for.”

The man had been missing for about six hours in freezing temperatures. “Medical staff later confirmed that if he had not been found at that time, he would have likely died from hypothermia,” Harrell explained. He added, “It was a great effort from all involved and just goes to show the importance of having a drone readily available for deployment, and the fact that it saves lives.”

The elderly man’s daughter has since thanked the Derbyshire Police for their efforts, and said that the drone was critical in helping her father. “Offering my gratitude and sharing this story is the least I can do after they saved his life, thank you so much,” she said. The Derbyshire Times reported that the man has since made a full recovery and is back home.

apost.com

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