Q: What is The Amber Plan?
A: The Amber Plan is a cooperative effort between approximately 40 radio and television stations in Dallas/Fort Worth and local law enforcement agencies in North Texas. The plan calls for law enforcement agencies to provide radio stations with an alert upon the immediate confirmation of a child abduction. All participating radio stations will break programming to broadcast the alert and any subsequent information provided by the police.

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Q: Why did the Association of Radio Managers decide to implement this plan?
A: A concerned citizen contacted one of the radio stations and suggested the idea following the abduction and murder of nine-year-old Amber Hagerman. The general managers of all the radio stations in Dallas/Fort Worth agreed the program provides a community service and may help save the life of a child.

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Q: How will the radio stations obtain the information about a child abduction?
A: Each police department in North Texas has the contact names and confidential fax numbers of two radio stations. The police department issuing the alert will send a fax to these primary stations.

The two contacts from the stations will confirm the receipt and accuracy of the fax transmission and will then alert the other participating radio stations through the Emergency Alert System (EAS). 

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Q: Are all the radio stations in the Metroplex participating in this plan?
A: We have approximately 30 radio stations, most of which are members of the Association of Radio Managers in Dallas/Fort Worth, which are committed to this plan. All radio stations in Dallas/Fort Worth receive the alerts, via their EAS receivers. There are a few stations in the area who do not belong to the Association, however we encourage these stations to participate as a community service. In addition, most of the television stations participate as well.

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Q: What is the policy of the radio stations should a citizen call to report a child abduction?
A: Each radio station will direct every citizen to their local police department.

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Q: What happens if the police cannot provide the information to the stations until after 5:00 p.m? Will someone be at the station to report this information?
A: Since every station is on the air 24 hours a day, there is always someone in the station. The stations have anticipated this component and have developed measures to assure the consistency of the program regardless of the time.

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Q: Can this program truly be successful and actually save a life?
A: Yes. the association wouldn't invest the time and effort into a program if it didn't feel it would benefit the community and more importantly protect an innocent child. It has been proven to be a critical factor in the safe return of children in several cases.

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Q: Can this program be duplicated in other cities?
A: Yes. Actually, we have seen this program grow to be started in cities coast-to-coast, adopted by states and even signed into national law by President George W. Bush in April, 2003. The Association of Radio Managers can provide information to anyone interested in learning how to set up this program in a particular city.