National Wireless Safety Week is June 19-23
AMBER Alert Network Turns to Cell Phone Users to Help Save Abducted Children
Jackson, Miss. (June 20 2006) – As part of National Wireless Safety Week, June 19-23, Cellular South urges all wireless users to sign up for potentially life-saving AMBER Alert text messages now available to wireless subscribers.
With more than 60 percent of Americans owning wireless phones, and seldom going anywhere without them, Wireless AMBER Alerts will significantly increase the reach of the child abduction notification program by informing people of the emergency situation no matter the location. Past experiences indicate the first three hours are crucial to the successful recovery of an abducted child, and Wireless AMBER Alerts will be an invaluable tool in getting out public information about a search.
Wireless subscribers must choose to opt-in to receive the geographically specific Wireless AMBER Alerts. Cellular South subscribers may sign up at www.cellularsouth.com and wireless subscribers of other participating carriers may sign up at www.wirelessamberalerts.org.
"The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) and the AMBER Alert program can now have a much wider reach beyond TV and radio," said Hu Meena, president of Cellular South. "With this technology wireless users play an important role in reuniting abducted children with their families."
Wireless AMBER Alerts will potentially serve as a preventative tool as well. People who prey on innocent children will perhaps think twice before carrying out their malicious acts, knowing that almost any cell phone owner they pass could identify perpetrators and have access to the immediate means to guide law enforcement officials to their location.
"Time is of the essence when a child has been abducted, and now wireless subscribers can be the eyes and ears of law enforcement," said Meena. "Many Mississippians want to help fight crime, but feel powerless in a situation such as child abduction. With wireless devices citizens can alert law enforcement officials when they feel they have pertinent information."
AMBER stands for "America’s Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response" and was created in 1997 when Dallas-Fort Worth broadcasters teamed with local police to develop an early warning system to find abducted children. The AMBER Alert Program was soon adopted across the nation and is a legacy to Amber Hagerman, a 9-year-old girl who was kidnapped while riding her bicycle in Arlington, Texas, and then murdered. All 50 states have since established AMBER Alert programs.
President Bush authorized the national AMBER Alert program as part of the PROTECT Act signed in 2003. The law formally established the federal government’s role in the AMBER Alert program, appointing the Department of Justice (DOJ) as the agency responsible for coordinating AMBER Alerts on the national level. DOJ has officially partnered with NCMEC, authorizing them as the agent that coordinates and disseminates AMBER Alerts to secondary distributors.
"To date, more than 200 children have been successfully recovered as a direct result of AMBER Alerts," said Ernie Allen, NCMEC President and CEO. "My colleagues and I experience great satisfaction when we see abducted children reunited with their families and thank the wireless industry for providing Wireless AMBER Alerts so even more Americans can join us in this important work."
About Cellular South
Cellular South is the largest privately held wireless provider in the U.S. The company is focused on providing the best service possible through its nationwide wireless voice and data network, award-winning customer care, state-of-the-art wireless devices, and commitment to the communities it serves. Cellular South was recently honored with the 2005 Wireless Week Excellence Award, the 2006 Mississippi Better Business Bureau Integrity Award and a concurrent resolution from the Mississippi Legislature commending the executives and employees of Cellular South for the company's extraordinary efforts in Hurricane Katrina's wake. For more information, visit www.cellularsouth.com
About the National Center for Mississippi & Exploited Children (NCMEC)
The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that works in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. NCMEC's congressionally mandated CyberTipline, a reporting mechanism for child sexual exploitation, has handled more than 313,000 leads. Since its establishment in 1984, NCMEC has assisted law enforcement with more than 106,000 missing child cases, resulting in the recovery of more than 92,000 children. For more information about NCMEC, call its toll-free, 24-hour hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST or visit www.missingkids.com.
Contact
Tanya Rankin, Cellular South (601) 974-7134 trankin@cellularsouth.com
