KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — East Tennessee leaders are pushing for more awareness of Silver Alert programs after dozens of Tennesseans have been found through the alert system this year. Over 60 Silver Alerts have been sent out since January, and six have been sent out just in July, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said.
In 2021, Republican State Senator Becky Massey helped sponsor a law that made Silver Alerts a statewide program.
"We didn't have a statewide system before the bill," she said. "[Law enforcement] could have done it locally but people didn't know how to turn it in so it was missing the education piece."
The law introduced criteria required for an alert to be sent out. A person could be "sixty years of age or older, whose whereabouts are unknown, and who is believed to be in danger because of age, health, mental health conditions, or physical disability."
They could also be diagnosed with dementia at any age to qualify for a Silver Alert. Additionally, if they're over 18 years old but are believed to have a disability or impairment, an alert could be sent out.
Alzheimer's Tennessee provides resources for families of people with Alzheimer's. President and CEO Janice Wade-Whitehead said their Silver Alerts kit can save time in an emergency.
"Families fill out the forms inside [the kit]. It's what information law enforcement will need," Wade-Whitehead said. "And then they're ready to go. They have everything to share with law enforcement to start the process [of a Silver Alert]."
These kits can save precious time in an emergency, Massey said.
"Time is of the essence when someone goes missing, just like with an AMBER Alert," she said.