Re: Sept 9 Amber Alert Meeting

[Dave Faneuf <tklaundry@juno.com>]

On Sun, 08 Sep 2002 21:28:55 -0400 "Aaron 'Bishop' Read"
<aread@speakeasy.net> writes:
> Amber Alerts 
> require a 
> rapid response time as it is designed to locate and stop the 
> abducter 
> before they get too far away from the initial abduction area.  
> Anything 
> over an hour or two is useless, and in reality anything over 15 
> minutes is 
> of questionable usefullness.   That means that if you're going to 
> have 
> Amber Alerts, you have to write it in the State EAS Plan that 
> stations must 
> air the Amber Alerts immediately upon reception and ALL stations 
> must air 
> them to help ensure that anyone near the vicinity might actually 
> hear the 
> Alert.   

I figured I'd just pick on one point for now ;-)
I agree that for the system to work time is crutial, but as I think we
discussed in the past there are some real ego problems here.  Departments
don't like sharing information and certainly don't like asking for help,
initiating the Amber Alert would be an admission that the situation is
beyond their control.
Secondly what about border communities,  my laundromat is in Lowell
Massachusetts but the radio station I generally have on for customers is
located in Nashua New Hampshire.  The NH station probably won't be on the
MA Amber alert system, the reverse would also be true.
Taking a regional approach probably wouldn't be the answer either.  How
many times will someone in Western Mass have to put up with EAS
activation for a missing person in Revere before they just ignore all the
EAS tones?  The same question for a missing in Williamstown being
broadcast in Qunicy.  And if there is a missing in Williamstown does that
mean the New York and Vermont Amber Alert system would also be activated?

I know the AP story said that executives of radio and tv stations were
invited to attend this Amber Alert meeting to help develop a plan, but
any idea who was actually invited?
Good luck at the meeting boys ;-))
df