Mississippi man looking to help find those who have gone missing

WINSTON COUNTY, Miss (WCBI) – A man in Winston County, Mississippi is helping to look for those who have gone missing.

Steve Jones started Shining Light Search and Rescue as a way to help give people answers for their missing loved ones. But he isn’t doing it alone.

He has help from two of his four-legged friends.

Jones has been a volunteer firefighter for almost 30 years. During his years of service, he has been involved in countless recovery operations – many of which involved using canine crews.

He saw the need in his own department and began training his own pets to search for those who are lost.

“If I can train a dog to hunt squirrels, rabbits, or game, why not people? So that clicked, and the dogs I use I trained to hunt individuals,” said Jones.

His non-profit organization, Shining Light Search and Rescue, works mostly to find children or people with Alzheimer’s or dementia who have wandered off.

Jones says when he is on a call, he thinks of those missing people as if they were his own family members and he’ll try to do anything he can to find them.

“We are all brothers and sisters. I don’t care who you are... I want to come to find them. I want to do what I can,” said Jones.

Jones’ partners, Sophie and Jake, are trained to follow scent trails. Those scents can lead the dogs to find people who have been lost in the woods or even buried.

He says if your loved one has gone missing, it’s important to do a few things that can help his team do their job.

”I like using something that pertains to hair or sweat, so like a glove or hat or, with a lady, a barrette,” said Jones.

Jones says in this day and time, it’s always important to remember one thing: “Always let someone know where you are going and when you are going to be back.”

Jones has started his own social media page for the organization that helps get awareness out for those who have gone missing and he even does videos to give tips if you ever get lost.

To learn more about Jones’ organization, click here.

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