For 20 Years, We’ve Helped AMBER Alerts Reach More People, Faster
It’s likely you already know about AMBER Alerts, whether you’ve seen them on signs while you’re driving on the highway or received the messages on your phone. But you may not realize how that alert gets to you.
When law enforcement activates an AMBER Alert, it’s first sent through an emergency network including radio and television stations and highway signs. Then, it’s NCMEC’s turn to help. We extend the reach of the alert by working with a group of partners, known as “secondary distributors,” to make sure this critical information is seen by the public quickly.
For 20 years, NCMEC has served this essential role, acting as a force multiplier. We know that public awareness greatly improves the chance that a missing child will be found safe. So far, at least 1,268 children have been recovered because an AMBER Alert was activated.
What is Secondary Distribution?
The AMBER Alert program began in 1996, relying on traditional broadcast media and highway signs. But as technology advanced, so did the opportunity to spread alerts faster and farther. In 2005, NCMEC partnered with the Department of Justice to introduce secondary distribution, leveraging the capabilities of tech. Today, this includes digital billboards, search engines, social media and probably most recognizably, wireless emergency alerts – those are the urgent notifications you receive on your cell phone.
Here’s just a few examples of secondary distribution in action:
• Motel 6 integrates AMBER Alerts into its front desk software, instantly notifying staff who are checking in guests.
• Many gas stations display alerts on pump screens, informing both employees and customers.
• Social media platforms Facebook, Instagram and TikTok send AMBER Alerts directly to user feeds for instant awareness.
Real Impact
AMBER Alerts really do save lives—something Tamara Asher knows firsthand. At 16, she was abducted at gunpoint and held for nearly 24 hours. But thanks to an AMBER Alert displayed on highway signs, law enforcement was able to locate and rescue her. Her case is one of many that proves the need for rapid, widespread notifications in critically missing child cases. Tamara now serves on NCMEC’s board of directors to give back and help other families.
"Thank you to all of these secondary distribution partners who choose to be a part of something so important and so special,” said Tamara. “I wouldn't be here today. And so many other children have been saved because of your efforts, because of your work, because of your willingness to be in those call centers, to be in those partnerships."
To learn more about the AMBER Alert program or how to become a NCMEC secondary distribution partner, visit: https://www.missingkids.org/gethelpnow/amber
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