Amber Alerts

What is an Amber Alert?

The Amber Alert Plan is a critical missing child response program that utilizes the resources of law enforcement and media to notify the public when children are kidnapped.

Law enforcement and broadcasters use the Emergency Alert System (EAS), formerly called the Emergency Broadcast System, to air a description of the missing child and suspected abductor. This is the same concept used during severe weather emergencies. The goal of the AMBER Alert is to promptly involve entire communities to assist in the search for and safe return of abducted children.

What does AMBER stand for?

The acronym stands for America’s Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response. The program is named for a nine year old named Amber Hagerman who was abducted and killed in 1996. You can learn more about the history of the program on the Ohio Amber Plan website.

Current Alerts and How to Subscribe

Current alerts are sent via the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and posted to the Ohio Amber Plan website.

If you would like to subscribe to geographic alerts, visit the Ohio Amber Plan website and click on Ohio CAN (for the Ohio Citizen Alert Network). This service will send notifications by email or SMS text message.