KEENE, NH – Area first responders are searching for a missing Spofford man who was last seen Wednesday afternoon.

Chesterfield Police Chief Duane Chickering took to Facebook shortly after 8:30 Wednesday night and said the police department, New Hampshire Fish and Game, Rescue Inc., K-9 search teams, and numerous other first responders began searching for the 79-year-old man on Old Swanzey Road in Spofford (a village within the town of Chesterfield), approximately 3/4’s of a mile south of Tuttle Road.

The man, identified as Paul Stewart, was last at 2:30 Wednesday afternoon leaving his home on foot with his two dogs, Bailee and Karlee. He was wearing a baseball cap, pictured above, a blue fleece, and blue jeans.

The search is still underway as of noon on Thursday. Police are asking that anyone in the area with surveillance cameras to review their footage and contact Chesterfield Police if he was captured on video. Authorities believe Stewart may have entered Pisgah State Park and are warning volunteers that the area is difficult to hike or walk through due to thick vegetation and mountainous terrain.

Chickering also noted that missing posters for the dogs have been sent to the Granite State Dog Recovery as well.

Chickering posted another update Thursday morning and warned that the National Guard would be responding to the area with a Blackhawk helicopter to search for heat signatures, so he’s asking anyone with a drone who may have considered helping out in the search to keep their drones grounded for now to avoid any mid-air collisions. It arrived in the area after 11 am and was expected to be flying very low above the tree line, so residents should not be alarmed.

New Hampshire State Police issued a Missing Vulnerable Adult Alert shortly before 12:30 Thursday afternoon. According to a news release Stewart suffers from high blood pressure and diabetes and has not taken his medication since he left his residence.

Anyone with any further information or who spots Stewart, or the dogs are asked to contact the Chesterfield Police Department or the Cheshire County Sheriff’s office. Chickering will continue to post status updates periodically on the Chesterfield Police Department Facebook page.