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GRANVILLE, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — Massachusetts Police fought against the clock to find a man lost in the woods in sub-freezing temperatures on Thursday.
State Police used infrared technology to locate a man in his 70s who had gotten lost in Granville State Forest after going for a walk near West Harland Road on Thursday afternoon, officials said.
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Police and firefighters were notified that the man was lost at around 6:30 P.M. when it was 26 degrees with temperatures dropping quickly. Granville Firefighters, State Police K9 Unit, Special Emergency Response Team, and Air Wing set out to search for the man.
The Air Wing helicopter began an aerial search of the heavily wooded area using an infrared camera. The man told police (via cell phone) he could see the helicopter and was instructed to point his cell phone flashlight toward the helicopter. Within seconds, the flight crew was able to locate him using their FLIR and infrared laser, police said.
The flight crew then directed officers on the ground to the man, who were able to locate him and lead him out of the woods. Police said they were grateful that they and Granville Fire were well trained and had the necessary equipment to act fast and find the man, as the cold temperatures could have had fatal consequences.
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