Governor Kaine Promotes Initiative to Provide Wireless Amber Alerts
– Urges state employees, other Virginians to enroll in free public safety initiative –

RICHMOND – Governor Timothy M. Kaine today urged Virginians to enroll in a free service offered by major wireless providers to transmit AMBER Alert text messages on cellular telephones and other wireless communication devices.

The AMBER Alert network broadcasts emergency messages when a law enforcement agency determines that a child has been abducted and is in imminent danger. The broadcasts include information about the child and the abductor that could lead to the child's recovery, such as a physical description and information about the abductor's vehicle. 

Today’s announcement by the Governor, law enforcement, and the wireless industry highlights a free service for wireless users who choose to receive geographically-specific messages on wireless devices through the AMBER Alert system. Wireless subscribers with the ability to receive text messages can register at the Web site www.wirelessamberalerts.com, designating up to five zip codes from which the subscriber would like to receive the alerts.

“We have all seen and heard news stories about child abductions across the country, and wish we could do more to help. With this innovative, wireless AMBER Alert system, more of us can play a role in promoting child safety,” Governor Kaine said.  “Millions of people use mobile phones and PDA’s as part of their daily routines, and with this technology, those individuals now can help us locate and recover abducted children.”

Today’s announcement is an initiative spearheaded by the Governor’s Office, Virginia law enforcement, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), the Wireless Foundation, and the U.S. Department of Justice.

The Governor was joined at today’s announcement by former U.S. Congressmen, NFL Hall of Famer, and President and CEO of CTIA-The Wireless Association, Steve Largent; Public Safety Secretary John Marshall; representatives from the Virginia AMBER Alert Plan Advisory Board; and Del. Steve Shannon, who – along with his wife, Abby – co-founded the Metropolitan Washington AMBER Alert Plan in 2001.

“I especially want to encourage state employees to sign up for these wireless AMBER Alerts through their state-issued wireless devices. The few minutes it takes to enroll could make all the difference when it comes to finding a child in trouble,” Governor Kaine added.

Since the AMBER Alert program began in Virginia in 1997, five children in the Commonwealth have been safely recovered as a direct result of the AMBER Alert network. To sign up for the Wireless AMBER Alerts and for more information on the PSA campaign go to www.wirelessamberalerts.com or www.wirelessfoundation.org.

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