Patent ID: 7495571

Claim:
A method for alerting security personnel and bystanders that a person is missing using a computer network including a plurality of reporting stations each including a display and a powerhorn, and a plurality of registration stations each including a camera and fingerprint scanner, and a network server in wireless communication with all of said reporting stations and registration stations, comprising the steps of: collecting registration information from a person at one of said registration stations, said collecting further comprising the substeps of, photographing one or more images of a person using said camera; obtaining a fingerprint of said person from said fingerprint scanner; converting said fingerprint to a digital record; recording said images and digital fingerprint record electronically; collecting and recording identifying information related to said person and a guardian or responsible person; transferring said identifying information and said recorded images to a portable storage medium; transferring said recorded images and identifying information to said system server; receiving notification that said person is missing; upon receipt of said lost person notification, broadcasting said images and digital fingerprint to all of said plurality of reporting stations, displaying said images to the general public on the display of all said reporting stations whilst simultaneously announcing an alert on the powerhorn in hope that said public will locate and return the lost person to said guardian or responsible person; and providing said fingerprint to proper authorities if said lost person is not returned.