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Dramatic Dementia Patient Rescue With Thermal Drone In Freezing PA Woods

A person with dementia who vanished into the freezing woods of Wind Gap was found after a dramatic search—thanks to a thermal drone that detected their heat signature, officials said.

The thermal drone rescue.

The thermal drone rescue.

Photo Credit: Palmer Municipal FD

The emergency unfolded at 8:34 p.m. on Monday, March 3, when the Palmer Municipal Fire Department’s Drone Unit was deployed to track down the individual, missing for roughly two hours in dangerously cold conditions, responders said.

Deputy Chief Ken Sobieski and Drone Captain Kris Grube set up a command center while drone pilots Paul Little and Evan Goldstein scoured the area using heat-sensing technology. Nearly 40 minutes into the search, a glowing heat signature appeared on their screen. Grube, monitoring the livestream, spotted movement, officials said.

With the missing person’s location pinpointed, responders rushed in. The individual was found disoriented but stable, saving them from a potentially deadly night in the elements.

Officials praised the cutting-edge drone technology and the swift teamwork of responders, which included Slate Belt Regional Police, Bushkill Police, Cetronia EMS, and several area fire companies.

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