KUTV Emmy winning anchor Heidi Hatch shared on social media that a search is underway for a 66-year-old Utah man who has gone missing. Lewis ‘Lou’ Balzomo, 66, was last seen on the night of Thursday, September 17. He was expected to pick up his wife in Garland, but failed to arrive, according to the post.
Who is Lewis ‘Lou’ Balzomo?
Hatch said in her post that according to Balzomo’s wife, he is a retired firefighter and EMT.
“She believes he may be lost and says he only had a few gallons of gas in his vehicle, raising concern that he may now be stranded somewhere,” reads the post. “The Box Elder County Sheriff’s Office is searching for Lou and a Silver Alert has been issued.”
According to the post, Balzomo may be driving a green, late-1990s Toyota Sienna with Utah license plate 1EY-WO.
Anyone with any information about Balzobo’s whereabouts is urged to contact the Box Elder County Sheriff’s Office tip line at 435-734-6530 or call 911.
What is a Silver Alert?
A Silver Alert is a public notification system in the US which is used to broadcast information about missing older adults or vulnerable individuals, particularly those with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, or other cognitive impairments.
According to the California Highway Patrol, “The California Silver Alert Program was introduced through Senate Bill 1047 and became law in 2012 by adding section 8594.10 to the California Government Code. A Silver Alert is activated when an elderly, or developmentally or cognitively-impaired person has gone missing and is determined to be at-risk. Silver Alerts provide immediate information to the public to aid in the swift recovery of at-risk persons meeting the criteria.”
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The website tells the public, “Every member of the community can play an important role in a Silver Alert. If you have information about an active Silver Alert or an elderly person who has gone missing, call 911 immediately to report it. Be prepared to provide the location of the missing person, any relevant description and make, model, color, and license plate number (if possible) of any vehicle involved. Even the smallest piece of information can be the piece that leads to a successful recovery.”