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.
The free service lets cell phone users register at www.wirelessamberalerts.com, and designate up to five zip codes from which they would like to receive regional alerts.
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, said Governor Kaine.
The public safety initiative is spearheaded by the Governor’s Office, Virginia law enforcement, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), the Wireless Foundation, and the US Department of Justice.
Since the program began in Virginia in 1997, five children in the Commonwealth have been safely recovered as a direct result of the Amber Alert network.
