Elderly Woman With Dementia Rescued From Roof Of 4-Story Apartment Building: Police

CITY OF POUGHKEEPSIE, NY — A potentially tragic situation was brought to a safe conclusion, thanks to some quick thinking from public safety dispatches and first responders.

The City of Poughkeepsie Police Department says that on Wednesday, patrol units headed to Union Street after receiving a report of an elderly woman on the roof of a four-story building.

After being unable to gain entry into the locked building, officers climbed the fire escape to get to the roof to reach with the woman.

Police say a language barrier presented a challenge, but after interviews with neighbors and a call history search performed by Public Safety Dispatchers, the woman was identified and her family was contacted.

Officers were told that the woman suffered from dementia and determined that it would be unsafe for her to get back down using the fire escape.

Once the City of Poughkeepsie Fire Department arrived on the scene, they planned to use a ladder truck to help the woman down from the building. After maneuvering the truck into place, firefighters and police officers helped the woman into the bucket and escorted her safely to the ground.

Once on the ground, the woman was evaluated by Empress EMS and taken to a local hospital, where Public Safety Dispatchers arranged for her to be reunited with family.

"The teamwork involved in this call was remarkable and the results speak for themselves — a happy ending for all involved," police said on social media.