AMBER Alerts on your cell phone: Technology wins again
Today while driving home from New Hampshire, my cell phone beeped with the following message:
AMBER ALERT: West Haven, CT White 4 dr Honda Accord. FL-003911 CHILD: 6 Wht F 3ft 60lbs Blue Brn
COMP: White F
Hair: Brown
Suspect: White F
Hair: Brn
Call 860-685-8190
I had forgotten about it until the note came in, but immediately remembered that I had signed up for AMBER alerts (for the Northeast) to be sent to my cell phone. My first reaction, after the horror of seeing that someone’s child may have been abducted, was, “oh man… I don’t want to know about this stuff. I should cancel those alerts.” Within about 2 minutes, though, my feelings changed dramatically. This is an *awesome* idea, and a fantastic way to use this widespread network of cell phones to actually do something *good*. Imagine if everyone signed up for this service. These sorts of things would be caught all but instantaneously. Thankfully, enough have signed up (have you??) — the little Connecticut girl is in safe hands. 🙂
