A man missing in a rural area of Webster County was located Saturday afternoon through the efforts of a 911 dispatcher and first responders.
Webster County Emergency Management Agency Director Barry Rushing said the man, whom he did not name, is from Clarkson and is 73.
The man was looking for sassafras roots on the east side of South Sapa Road, according to Rushing. He said the man, who is diabetic, became disoriented and his hip gave out on him.
The Webster County 911 Center received a call at 12:15 p.m. from another person reporting the man was missing. Once deputies Tanner Prichard and Dillion Cates of the Webster County Sheriff's Department arrived on scene, other departments were called in to help. These were Webster County EMA, the Mathiston Fire Department, and other personnel and volunteers from other agencies, according to Webster County 911 Director Jimmy McLemore.
TAC Officer and 911 dispatcher Tiana O’Briant was able to make contact by phone with the missing person, and used the GPS locator that is part of the 911 Center’s mapping program to locate him at his exact position, McLemore stated in a social media post.
O’Briant then radioed everyone searching, telling them exactly where the lost person was and they went directly to him, according to McLemore. He and Rushing said about 1½ hours elapsed from the time the man’s location was plotted until searchers were able to get to him and extricate him from the woods.
Rushing said the man, who was conscious and in good condition when located, was taken by ambulance to North Mississippi Medical Center-Eupora. Rushing did not know if he was admitted.
"Webster County is very blessed to have such dedicated and professional dispatchers like Tiana O’Briant, and the whole staff at Webster County 911 Center, and the great equipment we have to help others with," McLemore stated in the social media post.
Locals assist
in other search
Rushing and other members of Webster County Fire Services also assisted in an out-of-county search for a missing person earlier Saturday.
They went to Clay County that morning and were among first responders from multiple counties involved in a multi-day search for Victoria Hudson, 23. The Ole Miss student was driving to her mother's house in Pheba when she wrecked her Jeep Liberty early Thursday morning off Mhoon Valley Road near Highway 50 in southwest Clay County, according to published reports.
"It was at night and it was raining and she made a wrong turn and wrecked," her mother told The Dispatch.
Clay County Sheriff Eddie Scott said Hudson was found safe in the woods about 10 a.m. Saturday near the Cedarbluff community in Oktibbeha County, about a mile from her vehicle. He said she had crossed Line Creek into Oktibbeha County, according to The Dispatch.
Rushing thanked everyone who turned out to assist on both calls.
