AMBER Alert

safety warning

Also known as: America’s Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response Alert(Show More)

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Last updated

July 21, 2026

Quick Summary

An AMBER Alert is a public safety warning system used in the United States and Canada to alert the public about a recently abducted or missing child. The alert is issued when a child under 18 is believed to be in imminent danger of serious bodily injury or death. The system is named after Amber Hagerman, a victim of abduction in 1996.12

AMBER Alerts are part of broader emergency alert systems that utilize various methods for broadcasting information, including radio, television, and text messages to mobile devices. These systems are activated by government officials and emergency management personnel to disseminate critical information during emergencies, such as natural disasters or child abductions.2

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texting
…Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response (AMBER) Alert warnings of child abductions in the United States began to be sent by text to those who chose to receive them, and, as of 2018, 924 children had been recovered.
Read More
…Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response (AMBER) Alert warnings of child abductions in the United States began to be sent by text to those who chose to receive them, and, as of 2018, 924 children had been recovered.
Read More