Here are a series of frequently asked questions about how the BC Silver Alert conceives of how one could be implemented in British Columbia and elsewhere in Canada.
Q: What is a Silver Alert
A Silver Alert is a public notification that a person is missing who may not be able to help themselves or ask for assistance. Notifying the public lets them assist in locating the missing person. Read more about our conception of the Silver Alert.
Q: Why do we need the Silver Alert?
When a vulnerable person with dementia, autism or other cognitive conditions goes missing, their chance of survival drops precipitously with every hour they are not found. Letting the public know the person is missing increases the chance they are found quickly. Read more about why we feel the Silver Alert is essential.
Q: What are the criteria for a Silver Alert?
Any missing person who may not be able to ask for assistance, and is prone to wandering, is a criteria for a Silver Alert whether they have been diagnosed with dementia, autism or any other condition. Read more about the criteria we consider for a Silver Alert.
Q: Will it wake me up in the middle of the night?
It is important for some alerts, like those for natural disasters, to wake people up so they can evacuate. We believe that an alert for a missing person should be similar to an SMS message that honours your smartphone’s “Do Not Disturb” settings.
Q: What do I do when I receive a Silver Alert?
When members of the public reieve a Silver Alert they are asked to search their own properties, and stay on the lookout for the missing person. They are not required to take part in an organized search. Read more about responding to a Silver Alert…
Q: What is Alert Fatigue
Alert Fatigue, sometimes called Alarm Fatigue is an oft-mentioned objection to policies like the Silver Alert, Amber Alert or other public notification system. Read more about alert fatigue here, and how we design our proposals to avoid it.
Q: What about GPS tracking devices?
There are many GPS tracking devices on the market designed specifically for vulnerable people we’ve described here. While we agree that tracking devices have a role in preventing or reducing the impact of wandering – and should be used along with other techniques – they are prone to failure and human error.
Even institutional settings have failures of this technology, they require constant maintenance, and need to be “locked” to the person’s wrist. People with dementia can cut them off, batteries can fail, and the system could break down in numerous other ways.
We believe that we require a Silver Alert as a last resort when all else fails.
Q: Can I report someone missing here?
NO. Report missing people to the police. Dial 911.
- In North America, dial 911.
- A missing person with dementia is an emergency.
- DO NOT WAIT 24 HOURS.
Q: How do I activate a Silver Alert
If you know of a missing person, you need to dial 911 and report them missing to the police. A missing person with dementia or the other conditions we’ve described on our web site is an emergency.
The BC Silver Alert cannot activate an alert for your family, in Canada, under missing persons legislation, the police are responsible for missing persons and are make decisions on what information gets released to the public.
Q: What do I do if I find a missing person?
If you find a person who you believe has wandered and is in danger, please dial 911 and report them to the police regardless of whether you have received an alert or not.
Read more about what to do if you’ve found someone.
How can I help?
If you are interested in helping us here at the BC Silver Alert, you can donate, subscribe to our newsletter, or contact us directly.
You can also call your MLA, Mayor or city councilor and tell them that you support the BC Silver Alert.