AMBER Alerts save lives!
NOAA’s National Weather Service (NWS) operates hundreds of NOAA Weather Radio stations around the country. Initially, these radios were designed to only broadcast weather information, forecasts and warnings. In recent years, the broadcasts have been expanded to cover “All-Hazards”, including evacuations for hazardous spills, emergency information about terrorist attacks or nuclear power plant incidents, and AMBER Alerts for abducted children.
In
Illinois , the NWS has partnered with Illinois State Police (ISP), and in cooperation with the Illinois Broadcasters Association and the State Emergency Communications Committee, NWS broadcasts AMBER Alerts. The messages originate from county or local law enforcement agencies and are relayed to the NWS by Illinois State Police. The information goes out through NOAA Weather Radio which activates the EAS (Emergency Alert System). This gets the Amber information directly to all
Illinois broadcasters including AM and FM radio stations, television stations, and cable TV outlets.
On August 1, 2006 ISP relayed an AMBER Alert on behalf of the
Rochester, MI police. There was evidence that the suspect was in Illinois on I-57 near
Champaign . At the request of the ISP the AMBER alert was broadcast on the Champaign NOAA Weather Radio transmitter. Shortly afterwards, the suspect heard the AMBER being broadcast on a
Champaign, IL radio station via the EAS. He immediately contacted the authorities and turned himself in because he told the police that they were going to find him soon anyway due to the AMBER Alert.
Nearly 50% of all AMBER Alert recoveries since 2003 have been attributed directly to the issuance of the AMBER through the NOAA Weather Radio!
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