For Immediate Release
March 6, 2014
A recent expansion of the Florida Silver Alert Program that displays the images of missing seniors on lottery ticket terminals at convenience stores has already proven to be a success. In the course of less than a month, four seniors who had gone missing were found because of this initiative between the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s Missing Endangered Persons Information Clearinghouse (MEPIC) and the Florida Department of Lottery. The Silver Alert Program is a partnership between the Florida Department of Elder Affairs and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It was first created by Executive Order in 2008 and was signed into law by Governor Scott in 2011.
“In a few weeks, this partnership has proven invaluable,” said Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Gerald Bailey. “I appreciate the dedication of MEPIC, the Florida Lottery and the Department of Elder Affairs as we all look for ways to safely return missing seniors to their loved ones.”
FDLE’s Missing Endangered Persons Information Clearinghouse received reports about Silver Alert subjects interacting with staff and patrons at retail outlets. FDLE contacted the Florida Lottery and the partnership began.
“When a person goes missing every second counts, and we at the Florida Lottery, along with our more than 13,000 retailers, are pleased to participate with FDLE on this potentially life-saving effort,” said Florida Lottery Secretary Cynthia O’Connell.
The process involves displaying an image of the Silver Alert subject on lottery machines seen by the staff of lottery retail outlets. The first time the Florida Lottery displayed Silver Alert information, a convenience store clerk recognized the missing 89-year-old man in the store and contacted law enforcement. Since that time, three other Silver Alert subjects have been found safely after a store clerk saw the senior and called law enforcement.
"The Silver Alert program is a critical tool to protect vulnerable members of our families and communities. This new and creative joint effort with the Florida Lottery is already proving to be successful. We are proud of this success and of the commitment of all of our partners to safely bring home missing elders," said Department of Elder Affairs Secretary Charles T. Corley
The Silver Alert program is a standardized system to aid local law enforcement in the rescue of an elderly person with an irreversible deterioration of intellectual faculties (such as dementia or Alzheimer’s disease) who goes missing. The plan calls for the broadcast of information via the media, highway message signs (when a vehicle is involved), AAA automotive service vehicles and now lottery terminals.
To receive Silver Alerts via email, please visit the Florida Department of Elder Affairs website at
www.floridasilveralert.com
Once the person has been recovered, the Department of Elder Affairs, in coordination with the Area Agencies on Aging and Florida’s Memory Disorder Clinics, works to provide follow-up assistance to the senior.
For Further Information Contact:
Gretl Plessinger, Samantha Andrews or Steve Arthur
FDLE Office of Public Information
(850) 410-7001
Connie Barnes
Florida Department of Lottery
(850) 487-4541
Ashley Marshall
DOEA Press Office
(850) 414-2142