As noted previously, the FCC opened a proceeding to add a missing person’s event code to EAS. The FCC notes that missing adults fall outside of traditional AMBER alerts. While some states have enacted a missing persons alert, it is a patchwork system. Finally, the FCC notes that creating a missing person’s event code will benefit Ashanti alerts, which are associated with persons missing or abducted from states, territories, or Tribal communities that fall outside of AMBER Alert. The FCC noted:
“We propose to revise the Commission’s EAS rules to add a new “MEP” event code for all EAS alerts about missing and endangered person incidents that do not meet the criteria for an AMBER Alert. Currently, alert originators who issue missing and endangered person alerts that do not meet the criteria of an AMBER Alert, use a variety of event codes to issue such alerts.”
While we generally support the addition of new alert codes, we must make sure the EAS system is not overused. At some point, citizens will simply ignore EAS alerts. We are looking at this issue closely.
You can see the FCC’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking here.