From Knoxville Journal staff reports
News@theknoxvillejournal.com
In recognition of the sixth anniversary of National AMBER Alert Awareness Day on Jan. 13, U.S. Cellular invites customers to sign up to receive free AMBER alerts via text message.
The AMBER Alert program is a voluntary partnership between law-enforcement, media, transportation and others to send bulletins about child-abduction cases. Since its inception, the AMBER Alert program has led to the safe recovery of more than 542 children, according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Statistics show that the first three hours following a child’s abduction are the most critical to the search. In 2005, the Wireless AMBER Alerts Initiative enabled the public to receive alerts via text message on their wireless devices. Wireless AMBER Alerts have the potential to reach a significant amount of households with more than 322.9 million cell phone subscribers in the United States; and 29.7 percent of households being wireless only.*
“Once people sign up for this service, AMBER Alerts are sent to their wireless devices free of charge so they can be made aware of a missing child in their area immediately,” said Jack Brundige, director of sales for U.S. Cellular in Tennessee, in a press release. “Signing up is quick, simple and may help in bringing home a lost or abducted child.”
To sign up for wireless AMBER Alerts, visit the “About Us” section at www.uscellular.com, www.wirelessamberalerts.org, or text the word “Amber” followed by a space and five-digit zip code to short code 26237. For personal assistance, visit any U.S. Cellular retail store, and an associate is available to help. In 2011, AMBER Alerts started being issued via Facebook as well. To view these alerts, visit AMBER Alerts on Facebook via smartphone, computer, tablet or other device.
Sign up to receive AMBER Alerts by selecting the location(s) frequented most, such as where you live and work. Up to five zip codes can be entered.
Law enforcement issues an AMBER Alert and provides the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) with the information to include in the alert.
NCMEC formats the AMBER Alert information, which is then relayed to U.S. Cellular.
This information is sent as a free text message.
U.S. Cellular customers will only receive AMBER Alerts by enrolling in the program.
If you have information on a missing child, call the NCMEC toll-free Hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) 24-hours a day.
In addition, AMBER Alerts can be viewed via Facebook on both the national and state levels by visiting the AMBER Alert page(s). Tennessee’s page can be found atwww.facebook.com/AMBERalertTN.
