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AMBER ALERT TEST PLANNED
UTAH AMBER ALERT PLAN GETS AWARD & CASH FOR TRAINING
Utah’s AMBER Alert Plan will be tested on Wednesday to make sure the alerts are still going out as quickly and effectively as possible. This will be the 13th test for the state child abduction alert plan.
“Utah’s AMBER Alert is actually put to the test whenever a child is abducted and an alert goes out,” says Attorney General Mark Shurtleff. “These biannual tests allow us to work out any bugs when it is not a life-or-death situation.”
The tests are held each year on August 26, the date three-year old Rachael Runyan was kidnapped near her Sunset home in 1982, and January 13, National AMBER Alert Day.
The exact time of the test is not given but radio stations are asked to make an announcement when the test is initiated. TV stations are asked to make an announcement of the test and run a crawl at the top of the screen. All members of the media are encouraged to post the tests on their web sites. The Utah AMBER Alert Advisory Committee will then review the results and address any needed improvements.
Utah’s AMBER Alert Plan was given the inaugural “Commitment to Kids Award” today for its “efforts to work collaboratively with other state and federal organizations to create a cohesive system and their overall commitment to the safety of children.” AMBER Alert GPS, a Utah company that developed a new child tracking device, presented the award and donated $500 that will be used for AMBER Alert training and materials. The company’s device allows parents to track their child’s location.
So far Utah AMBER Alerts have directly resulted in the safe recovery of 15 children. More information about Utah’s AMBER Alert Plan can be found at www.amberalert.utah.gov.
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