Oklahoma Association
of Broadcasters

The Amber Plan

Questions and Answers

10/18/00

What is the Amber Plan?

The Amber Plan is a cooperative effort between the Oklahoma radio and television stations and law enforcement agencies. The plan calls for law enforcement agencies to provide radio and television stations with an alert upon the immediate confirmation of a child abduction. All participating radio stations will break programming to broadcast the alert and subsequent information provided by law enforcement. Oklahoma was the first state to establish a statewide Amber Alert program.

Why did the Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters decide to implement this plan?

When contacted by the Governor’s office regarding the implementation of an abduction alert program for Oklahoma similar to one operating in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, it was felt the program would provide a great community service and might help save the life of a child.

How will the radio and television stations obtain the information about child abductions?

When a local law enforcement official determines an abduction has occurred, the communications center of Oklahoma Department of Public Safety will be notified and provided with basic facts. DPS will confirm the accuracy of the information and issue an Amber Alert via the State Emergency Alert System (EAS).

Is our station(s) required to broadcast an Amber Alert?

No, but the success of the program depends greatly on the maximum number of people hearing the message and being on the lookout for the abductor. If a child in your community were abducted, you would certainly want the benefit of the Amber Alert Program.

Under the State EAS plan, our station is an LP-1 or LP-2. Do we have a special role in the Amber Alert program?

Definitely! It is most important that the LP-1 and LP-2 EAS stations participate in the Amber program. Your station(s) play a major role in the dissemination of the information to other stations in your area. Without your participation, the system breaks down.

What must I do to participate in the Amber Alert program through the EAS system?

Your station’s endec is supposed to be pre-programmed for all of the codes listed in the State EAS Plan. One of these is CEM (Civil Emergency Message). That is the event code that will be used for an Amber Alert. To participate, you must make certain your receiver is programmed to receive and retransmit CEM messages, preferably automatically, without operator intervention. Further, your receiver needs to be programmed to receive the CEM code from a civil entity, such as the Department of Public Safety

When we receive an Amber Alert, what is the procedure?
The Amber Alert (CEM) will come to your station via your EAS receiver. Your receiver may be programmed for automatic interrupt of programming or delay. If delayed, we encourage you to broadcast the alert immediately, without operator intervention, otherwise within a minimum of 15 minutes. Getting the information on the air as soon as possible is the key factor. The most crucial time in abduction is the first one or two hours.

After receiving and broadcasting the initial Amber Alert, what should I do for follow-up?

The Amber Alert will only be sent one time over the EAS system. We ask that for the next two hours you broadcast the information every 30 minutes, then once an hour for the next three hours. This is done by either taping the original message and playing it back, transcribing the information and having your personnel read it over the air, or followed up by your news department. Whatever method you may use, it is important that the information be aired in the early hours of the abduction.

Will television stations receive a picture or hard copy?

Television stations will receive pictures of the victim as soon as they become available. When pictures are available, it is anticipated they will be distributed by the Internet. The Department of Public Safety will send out hard copy to television and radio stations that are on the Highway Patrol wire following the alert via EAS. DPS is in the process of building an addition to their web site for the purpose of sharing pictures and copy information.

How often do you expect the Amber Alert Program to be activated?

The Tulsa incident on September 12, 2000, was the only occasion in the first ten months of the program. The large Dallas-Ft. Worth only averages 2-3 activations per year.

Is it important that the EAS sounder is utilized with an Amber Alert?

We think it is. As irritating as it is to many, it is an identifiable sound that will be associated with an emergency.

There are times during the day that we do not have personnel at the station. How can we broadcast an Amber Alert during those times?

Your EAS receiver is programmable to automatically interrupt your on-the-air programming. We suggest you use this process.

Will there be tests of the Amber Alert system?

Yes. The program officially started on January 1, 2000. Prior to this time, we have been denied permission to test the system. We anticipate the first Amber Alert test to occur during December 2000. Your station will be notified in advance of the date and time. We anticipate two tests each year.

What are the determining factors on utilizing the Amber Alert?

(1) The child must be 17 years of age or younger, or with a proven mental or physical disability, and (2) Police must believe the child is in danger of serious bodily harm or death.

The Amber Alert program is not a program for missing children, child custody disputes, or runaways.

What should be the policy of the station if a citizen calls to report an abduction?

The station should direct the person calling to their local police department.

My station is 100–150 miles away from the location of the abduction. Why should I broadcast an Amber Alert of this nature?

The abduction in Tulsa on September 12, 2000, proved the need for statewide participation in the program. In this case, the abducted children were found approximately 90 miles away from the point of abduction. In the State of Oklahoma, an abductor could have traveled to your area within the first two or three hours of the abduction. Other stations “down the line” who wish to participate may depend on you to receive EAS and Amber Alert information. If a child were abducted in your area, you would certainly appreciate the participation of other stations across the state.

Has there been any success with the Amber Alert program in the Dallas/Fort Worth area?

Yes. The September 12 Tulsa incident, and in the 2–3 years since the plan has been operational, there have been cases where the abductor has released the victim after hearing the Amber Alert on the radio. In one case, a motorist heard the alert, spotted the automobile and abductor, and called 911 to report the sighting. The motorist continued to follow the vehicle until the police arrived and pulled the abductor over. It is also felt that the Amber Alert program has been a deterrent for child abduction cases.

For more information contact:

· Roger Herring (918) 445-8888 (Tulsa)

· Britt Lockhart (405) 841-0258 (Oklahoma City)

· Carl Smith (405) 848-0771 (Oklahoma City)