Due to the recent alerts and feedback received, The Ohio AMBER Alert Steering Committee has put temporary measures in place to limit use of the AMBER Alert WEA to between 6:00 a.m. and 12:00 midnight. The measure will be discussed further at the next Ohio AMBER Alert Steering Committee meeting and a permanent set of WEA operational hours will be implemented.
During the most recent AMBER Alert, a majority of Ohio residents received an early morning message to their cellular phone with a loud audible tone. This alert is part of the new Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) program instituted by the wireless industry providers and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).
Different from past opt-in programs, all new WEA capable cellular phones are automatically enrolled to receive these messages. This program is an update to the Emergency Alert System (EAS) used to communicate emergency presidential messages, extreme weather emergencies, and AMBER Alerts.
The new system has been implemented and several news releases came out when the system went live in late 2012. Since that time, several states have limited the use of the WEA to specific hours when the general public would be out and on the road.
Cellular phone users who wish to opt-out of the program can contact their service provider, however the Ohio AMBER Alert Steering Committee urges the public to keep the program active, considering the adjustment in operational hours, so they can possibly help find a missing or abducted child.
For further information regarding the Wireless Emergency Alert go to FCC.gov
If you have questions regarding the Ohio AMBER Alert Program, please call (614) 728-1355.
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