AMBER

AMBER alerts save lives. When a child is missing, the more people looking, the faster the child is found. If your child was missing, how many people would you want looking? If it did not cost you anything, would you sign up?

AMBER stands for America’s Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response. The name for AMBER alerts is based on the reddish-yellow (amber) color of the alert and is a legacy of the 9-year-old, Amber Hagerman, who was kidnapped and murdered in Arlington, Texas.

What is an AMBER Alert?

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) issues AMBER alerts under the following conditions:

  • Law enforcement has reason to believe an abduction has occurred.
  • The child is 17-years-old or younger.
  • Law enforcement believes the imminent danger of great bodily harm or death exists.
  • Enough descriptive information about the child and abduction exists for helpful information to generate.
  • Information about the abduction, the child’s name and pertinent data and the Child Abduction flag are entered into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC).

Statistics

More than 800,000 children are reported missing each year. That is more than 2,000 per day. Many are recovered without incident.

One in five girls and one in ten boys will be sexually assaulted before age 18. Only one in three will report it.

76% of all kidnapped children are killed within the first three hours after abduction. Almost 89% are murdered within the first 24 hours.

On average, between 200 and 250 AMBER alerts issue each year. 554 children have been reunited with families based on AMBER alerts.

All 50 states, the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico have AMBER alert plans.

More than 70% of cell phone users can receive AMBER alerts free of charge.

100% of computer users can receive AMBER alerts.

Make A Difference

1. Pay attention to television, highway sign, radio and cell alerts. Be observant of your surroundings. What you see and hear can mean the difference between finding a child alive and finding one murdered.

Abductors have seen AMBER alerts and released the child because they knew they would eventually been found. They know people like you will give law enforcement information about them.

2. Download an AMBER alert ticker to your computer. CodeAmber.org is the designer of the AMBER alert ticker. It is designed to auto-update.

3. Sign up for AMBER alert text messages. The NCMEC, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) and CTIA-Wireless Foundation have teamed up with wireless companies to deliver wireless AMBER alerts to your cell at no charge. There are a few ways to sign up.

A. If you know your carrier has AMBER alerts service, text “AMBER”, one space and your five-digit zip code to 23267.

B. Visit your cell carrier’s website and request service.

C. Visit WirelessAmberAlerts.org and enter your telephone number. You will be delivered to your carrier’s website to register.

You will only receive AMBER alerts for your area or state. Messages will be held if you inbox is full or you are out of coverage for five days. The message will be periodically redelivered during that time. If the AMBER alert is cancelled, you will receive a message to that effect.

If you vacation, consider receiving alerts for the area you visit.

4. Take AMBER alerts seriously. When you receive an AMBER alert, look around you. The abductor could be closer than you think. You may have passed the vehicle in traffic. You may have seen the perpetrator in a store or on the sidewalk.

5. Report what you know. The national hotline for reporting children missing and giving information about abductions is 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678). A local law enforcement number is issued with all AMBER alerts for you to call with information. You may also call your state police from your cell with a short code (#HP, varies by state).

Why MAD with AMBER alerts?

Commemorative US Postage Stamp ~ Art by Vivienne Flesher ~ May 2006

The two-fold reason for AMBER alerts is to protect children from abduction and to aid in the recovery of abducted children. Many countries have added AMBER alerts systems of their own, including Canada, France, Australia, Ireland, Malaysia, Mexico and the Netherlands. Interpol assists in international abductions.

The first three hours are critical to an abducted child. The faster the information gets into the hands of the general public, the faster law enforcement has the help of the citizens. You can Make A Difference.

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Are you already subscribed to AMBER alerts on your computer and/or cell phone? Do you know a child who was abducted? Have you ever given information to law enforcement based on an AMBER alert?

(c) Ann Marie Dwyer 2012
Re-Blogging of this or any other post on Momma’s Money Matters is expressly forbidden.
AMBER alert symbol is a registered trademark of the US Department of Justice.
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8 Comments

  1. This is a great idea offering an extremely quick response time when a child has been abducted, thus giving everyone with the use of Amber Alert an opportunity of spotting something out of the ordinary and in doing so being able to report it quickly to the Police, hopefully giving law enforcement the upper hand against the vile and obscene trait of vicous kidnappers…

    An excellent posting Red, actually I have never heard of this Amber Alert but it is definitely a step in the right direction…

    Androgoth XXx

    Reply
    • Red

       /  April 20, 2012

      We did not institute it nationally here until 2002. It began in 1984, when we had ways of entering stolen property into the NCIC, but no way to transmit kidnapped children’s information. I may have to do a write up about the back history for this one, as it is a good way for other citizens to push for it in their countries.
      Red.

      Reply
  2. No, but I am observant, as perviously discussed.

    I have seen a few amber alerts, but have never had anything to report. The only ones that have been local were all false alarms. This is important. If it were my kid, I would want every available resource looking.
    Derek Mansker recently posted..Sin is costly; God’s love is free.My Profile

    Reply
    • Red

       /  April 20, 2012

      I am always amazed at how lax some of the local stations can be about AMBER alerts. After the first year, the national AMBER alerts have come down significantly, as in the first few months, more than half did not fit the standard for reporting.

      Reply
  3. Hi hun.

    We don’t have AMBER alerts here in the UK and it was only recently worried parents were given the chance to check if a person involved with their child was a paedophile because of a fear of vigilantism.

    As you know I’m a survivor of a childhood rape and know too well just what some people, including my father, are capable of…

    Love and hugs!

    Prenin.
    prenin recently posted..Thursday – shopping dayMy Profile

    Reply
    • Red

       /  April 20, 2012

      Vigilantism? Really? I guess I do not understand that logic, as we have had a sexual offender registry for so long, I cannot imagine…

      Reply
  4. Bear

     /  April 20, 2012

    As parents we all must pay attention to our surroundings I hear at least 3 amber alerts given out by dispatch per week.
    I want that child safe, and if it were one of mine, I would want all the help I could get. Great information hopefully places like the UK could institute a like program.

    Reply
    • Red

       /  April 20, 2012

      I would hope so. Just between the things Andro and Prenin have said, I have to wonder what they are waiting for in doing just that.

      Reply

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