ST. PAUL -- Minnesota Public Radio will use its network of news and information stations to distribute AMBER alerts to statewide media starting July 28. AMBER alerts are issued when a child 17 or younger is abducted by a non-family member and is presumed to be in danger.
These alerts are generated by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA), and then relayed by the Minnesota Division of Emergency Management (DEM) to the Emergency Alert System. That system will relay the alert to Minnesota Public Radio.
Minnesota Public Radio will send out the AMBER alert tones to its news and information stations and play a recorded announcement provided by the DEM. Radio and television stations across the state will be tuned to Minnesota Public Radio frequencies. The AMBER alert tones will trigger mechanisms that will allow them to broadcast the DEM message.
"Minnesota Public Radio is pleased to offer its regional network to provide this public service," said Director of Radio Erik Nycklemoe. "If these alerts return even one child to safety it will be well worth the time and energy that have gone into this important project."
The new statewide AMBER alert system was established in cooperation with the Minnesota State Emergency Communications Committee (SECC). The SECC is an all-volunteer organization with representatives of public safety agencies, state and local emergency management organizations, broadcasters, cable systems, National Weather Service, amateur radio, Minnesota Department of Transportation and others.
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All parties will work together to ensure that that AMBER alerts are issued only when needed so that their effectiveness is not diluted, Nycklemoe said.
Minnesota Public Radio operates a 34-station radio network serving virtually all of Minnesota and parts of surrounding states and produce local, regional and national programming for radio, Internet and face-to-face audiences. Minnesota Public Radio reaches 12.6 million listeners nationwide each week. Of those, nearly 700,000 listen regionally in Minnesota and surrounding states. A complete list of stations, programs and additional services can be obtained on Minnesota Public Radio's Web site at http://www.mpr.org
