Man with Alzheimer's Located by New Canaan Police

NEW CANAAN, CT—Police were able to quickly find a man with Alzheimer's who went missing thanks to Project Lifesaver.

Police were called Wednesday evening to the area of Main Street and Locust Avenue for a report of an 83-year-old man who wandered off. He had been missing for about 15 minutes before the call came in, police said.

The man was wearing a Project Lifesaver device and officers trained to use the device responded.

"Captain Andrew Walsh, Lieutenant Carol Ogrinc and Officer Kelly Coughlin searched the center of town for the missing man," said Lt. Jason Ferraro, police spokesman. "The tracking equipment was used and set to the frequency associated with the missing man's transmitter."

The man was found about 25 minutes after the call came in.

"The man would have been difficult to locate if not for the tracking equipment," Ferraro said.

More about Project Lifesaver from police:

Project Lifesaver International (PLI) answers a critical need for protecting people with cognitive conditions at risk of wandering. PLI is a non-profit organization specializing in search and rescue programs, conducts mandatory training and provides certification, ongoing management and support to public safety agencies throughout the country. The training includes teaching the responders how to use equipment and how to gain the trust of and communicate with people who wander, and to ensure that caregivers are well versed in the program, all of which are essential to a successful rescue.