NORTH DAKOTA: AMBER ALERT AWARENESS DAY.

BISMARCK, N.D. -- The following information was released by the office of the governor of North Dakota:

Signed January 12, 2011

Effective Date:

January 13, 2011

WHEREAS, statewide AMBER Alert plans have been implemented in all 50 states, creating a coordinated network of programs nationwide; and

WHEREAS, AMBER Alert programs have helped save the lives of 525 children across the country, with more than 90 percent of those recoveries occurring since October 2002, when a nationally-coordinated alert program was introduced; and

WHEREAS, since the implementation of North Dakota's AMBER Alert plan in February 2003, five AMBER alerts have been issued involving six children, with the successful location of five of the six children; and

WHEREAS, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children has developed a secondary distribution network to disseminate AMBER Alerts via Internet service providers and the wireless industry; and

WHEREAS, North Dakota citizens are encouraged to learn more about AMBER Alerts and to access valuable information when an alert has been issued by dialing 511, visiting the state's AMBER Alert Web site at www.nd.gov/amber or opting to receive text messages on wireless devices at www.wirelessamberalert.org.

NOW, THEREFORE, as Governor of the State of North Dakota, I do hereby proclaim January 13, 2011, AMBER ALERT AWARENESS DAY in the state of North Dakota.