BUFFALO N.Y. (WIVB) -- Buffalo police say a new tool in its fleet helped rescue a man in South Buffalo from freezing in the cold. The police department received a new tethered drone thanks to a $50,000 grant from the state. "It has infrared capabilities, high definition camera. It's a significant investment," said Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia. Not even 12 hours after getting the new technology, the Buffalo Police Department put it to use. Police deployed the drone to find a man missing somewhere in Cazenovia Park. "It was brought to our attention that this was a missing vulnerable person," Gramaglia said. Officials say the man left Mercy Hospital on December 20th and was last seen walking toward the park. The weather that day created a challenge for officers. "If we recall it was cold and snowing. Definitely freezing temperatures," Gramaglia said. However, in a matter of minutes, the drone picked up a heat source in a wooded area using infrared technology. "We located this missing vulnerable person who was hunkered down on the ground with some leaves and was beginning to be covered in snow," Gramaglia said. Police say the technology helped save the person's life. "We may not have found that individual in time," Gramaglia said. "There's a lot of discussion on drones. We want to make sure that they're used responsibly but there also is a life saving mechanism to drones ... that proves its effectiveness right off the bat." Latest Local News Buffalo police use new drone technology to save a man from freezing in the cold Mother of 5 children killed in New Year’s Eve 2022 fire sues homeowners Man injured after being hit by train on Fillmore Avenue HEARTS Act will help provide lifesaving resources to schools 4 local organizations to get promised ARPA funds after bookkeeping error Sarah Minkewicz is an Emmy-nominated reporter and Buffalo native who has been a part of the News 4 team since 2019. Follow Sarah on Twitter @SarahMinkewicz and click here to see more of her work.