Office of Governor Gary Locke
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - August 8, 2002
Contact:  Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136

Washington Emergency Alert system ready to handle child abduction alerts

OLYMPIA – The state’s existing Emergency Alert System (EAS) is fully operational statewide and is ready to handle child abduction alerts in Washington, according to Gov. Gary Locke.

“The recent California rescue of two kidnapped teenage girls has highlighted the value of the abduction alert. We are fortunate in Washington that procedures already are in place to use the Emergency Alert System to provide such alerts to television and AM and FM radio stations,” Locke said.

The governor said the state Military Department’s Emergency Management Division and the Washington State Association of Broadcasters completed the guidelines and message format for child abduction alerts last May. These guidelines and message format can be found at the state broadcasters’ website at www.wsab.org.

Local jurisdictions across the state can use these guidelines to provide child abduction alerts through the EAS system. If a local jurisdiction cannot activate EAS due to temporary technical difficulties, the state Emergency Operations Center is staffed 24 hours a day and can broadcast the alert on behalf of local officials.

Emergency operations centers and E-9-11 centers throughout the state also have local procedures for posting emergency messages, including “Amber” child abduction alerts, on highway reader board signs.



Contacts:
Rob Harper, State Emergency Management Division, 253-512-7005
Governor’s Communications Office, 360-902-4136

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Related Links:
- Emergency Management Division

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