2013-09-18: Mr. Shin Noh goes missing

On September 19th, 2013, Mr. Shin Ik Noh. 64, went missing in Coquitlam BC. Coquitlam Search and Rescue were called to mount a search of the area, and were unsuccessful after a week of looking. Mr Noh’s family, led by his son Sam Noh, mounted a months long information campaign and search for him, also with no results.

2014 Founded

In 2014, Mike, Matt and Sam founded the BC Silver Alert with the goal to advocate for a system to alert members of the public when vulnerable people with dementia, autism and other cognitive issues go missing.

2014-09-10: Citizen’s Silver Alert System

The newly formed BC Silver Alert creates a web site that monitors BC Police feeds, including the RCMP as well as Vancouver, Victoria, West Vancouver, Port Moody, New Westminister, Abbotsford, Nelson and Delta police.

When any police department posts a missing person alert on their sites, the BC Silver Alert web site copies it, and syndicates it to social media, including Facebook, Twitter, Reddit and to email subscribers.

This goes live on September 10th, 2014 – almost one year after Shin Noh went missing, and remains in effect for the next 7 years (2014 to 2020). Some of the early work is documented on this blog.

Silver Alert Legislation

British Columbia MLA Selina Robinson, then in opposition, proposes a Silver Alert act in the BC Legislature. It does not pass.

2015

2015-02-18: Silver Alert Concept

2015-09-17: One Year of Silver Alerts

2015-12-31: Statistics

35 Alerts
~2.9/month
July busiest month (6 alerts)

2016

2016-05-30: Missing Senior found by BC Silver Alert

2016-12-31: Statistics

28 Alerts
~2.3/month
August busiest month (6 alerts)

2017

2017-04-30: Presentation at Port Moody Talks

Presented at a local community event on the issue of elderly wandering and how a Silver Alert system can help.

2018

Houses of Parliament Petition e-1588

BC Silver Alert supported and promoted a petition initiated by Ontario MPP Sonia Aggelonitis from Toronto. The petition asked for the Canadian Government to develop a National Silver Alert Strategy for all Canadian Provinces and Territories.

2018-05-11: Debate in the Senate of Canada

Senators Wallin and Frances Lankin introduced motions and debate presenting the Silver Alert in the Canadian Senate. Members of the BC Silver Alert had previously supplied information and opinions to senatorial assistants. Debate specifically references the efforts in BC as well as elsewhere in Canada.

2018-10-18: Search and Rescue Dementia Exercise

In conjunction with Coquitlam Search and Rescue, members of the BC Silver Alert took part in a large scale search and rescue exercise and demonstration for researchers from the University of Alberta and the University of Waterloo.

The day long exercise was conducted in Munday park and involved several search and rescue teams and official observers. The day also included a test and simulation of the Community ASAP mobile application.

2018-10-01: Presentation of the BC Association of Municipal Chiefs of Police

We resented to the BCAMCP on the value of the Silver Alert and our successes to date, promoting the idea of using “Silver Alert” as a common term to describe an alert for a vulnerable missing person such as those with dementia.

2018-10-15: Presentation to the BC Search and Rescue Association

We presented to BCSARA, the organization representing the Search and Rescue stakeholders in BC, on the value of the Silver Alert and how it can reduce the amount of time and resources spent searching for vulnerable people, and increase the chance of finding them alive.

2018-10-23: Conclusion of Debate in the Senate of Canada

2018-12-14: International Consortium on Dementia and Wayfinding meeting

BC Silver Alert members join with a group of international experts including law enforcement, government and researchers, to discuss issues around dementia, wandering and wayfinding.

2019

2018-11-09: Tragic Year for Seniors in the Lower Mainland

2020

2020-11-29:

Members of the BC Silver Alert Society participated in the Online national forum on community alert systems for missing older adults,
This three hour forum brought together persons with lived experience, first responders, community organizations, policy makers, and researchers to inform “made for Canada” approaches to alert systems for missing older adults. Thought leaders presented their perspectives on the topic and addressed the following research questions:

What steps would need to be taken to develop alert systems? Who needs to be involved?

What are the factors to consider (e.g., challenges and opportunities) before we develop alert system(s) for older adults at risk of going missing?

What is the feasibility of developing alert systems locally, provincially, or nationally?

2021

2021-07-19: New Initiatives Fund Grant

The BC Silver Alert and Coquitlam Search and Rescue supported a grant application for the Government of Canada’s SAR New Initiatives Fund, which was awarded in 2021. The project was known as Managing Risks of Going Missing among Persons Living with Dementia by Building Capacities of Search and Rescue Personnel, First Responders, and Communities

2021-06-17: Presentation on Community Alerting Systems

Busola Adekoya, a researcher at the School of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo presented to the Canadian Association on Gerontology some of the results of the forum on Community Alerting Systems.

2021-07-19: Mobile Alert App

In conjunction with Coquitlam Search and Rescue, members of the BC Silver Alert Society lent their expertise in the form of testing and advice to the development of a mobile app to assist in searching for missing people.

Neubauer N, Daum C, Miguel-Cruz A, Liu L (2021) Mobile alert app to engage community volunteers to help locate missing persons with dementia. PLoS ONE 16(7): e0254952. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0254952

Policy Note

As a result of the participation of BC Silver Alert members in the National Forum on Community Alerting Systems, mentioned above, the following policy note was published with the endorsement of all attendees.

Adekoya, A., Daum, C., Neubauer, N., McLennan, L., & Liu, L. (2021). Community alert systems for missing vulnerable adults: A call to action for policy makers [Unpublished policy brief]. Aging and Innovation Research Program, Faculty of Health, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada

2022

2022-06-03: What’s happening with Silver Alerts in B.C.?, CTV News interviews Sam Noh about BC’s unfulfilled election promise to create a BC Silver Alert.

2023

2023-07-17: Survival of missing B.C. senior with dementia raises new questions about Silver Alert system, Global News

2023-07-17: B.C. promised a ‘Silver Alert’ system for missing seniors with dementia. Where is it?, Global News

2024

2024-03-10: Presentation to Western Canadian Association of Lifeline Programs

Presented on the Silver Alert to the WCALP, an organization that delivers home alerting systems to allow elderly or infirm people to call for help when needed. This organization has intimate knowledge of the needs of a vulnerable population.

2025

Silver Alert in the Media

2014-02-25: Silver Alert bill addresses missing seniors with dementia, CBC News

2014-12-12: B.C. urged to adopt Silver Alert plan to locate missing seniors with dementia, Wendy Stuek, The Globe and Mail

2014-09-18: Appeared on CBC’s The Early Edition,
https://x.com/CBCEarlyEdition/status/512596680819376128

2016-05-30: Missing Senior found by BC Silver Alert

2017-09-17: Noh family seeks fulfillment of NDP Silver Alert promise, Diane Strandberg, TriCity News

2017-01-10: White Rock RCMP seek to boost BC Silver Alert program, Peace Arch News

2018-09-18: ‘Silver Alert’ advocate still waiting on province to move on tracking tech for missing Alzheimer’s sufferers, Sonia Aslam, City News

2018-04-08: Fear for safety of elderly with dementia prompts Silver Alert call, Diane Strandberg, Vancouver Is Awesome

2020-01-09: Silver Alert finds senior missing from U.S. in Trail, Sheri Regnier, Trail Times

2022-04-15: ‘Silent’ protest calls for alert system in Kelowna after tragic death of James Wood, Jacqueline Gelineau, Lake Country Calendar