"A missing child is a parent's worst fear," Bruning said. "These kiosks are another way to help bring our missing kids home."
The announcement was made in conjunction with National Amber Alert Awareness Day on Jan. 13. The kiosk is funded by a 2004 U.S. Department of Justice grant and is located at the Interstate-80 Westbound rest stop near Gretna.
"Roadway communications are an important line of defense when a child's life is in danger," Jim McGee, Highway Programs Administrator for the Nebraska Department of Roads, said. "We're proud to support AMBER Alert with our technology."
Bruning also invited Nebraska fifth-graders to participate in a poster contest to raise awareness about the AMBER Alert. The theme for this year's poster competition is: Bring Our Missing Children Home. The winning artwork will be submitted for a national contest hosted by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Nebraska currently distributes child abduction alerts via several media sources, including 45 overhead electronic message boards along Interstate 80, the 511 advance traveler information phone system and the NETV Emergency Broadcast System. At this time, more than 120 radio and television stations and 180 local law enforcement agencies participate in the Nebraska AMBER Plan. Over 1,100 Nebraska Lottery vendors statewide are able to notify customers during an AMBER Alert. Over 75 Nebraska businesses receive Amber Alert notification over e-mail, and private individuals can subscribe to AMBER Alert notifications via e-mail or text messages on the Nebraska State Patrol's Web site.
"Broadcasters are normally first responders in getting the word out to the public regarding abducted children," Chairman-elect of the Nebraska Broadcasters Association Mark Halverson said. "We are proud to be able to participate in this unique public-private partnership."
Nebraska's AMBER Alert program is a cooperative effort of the Attorney General's Office, Nebraska AMBER Plan Committee, Department of Roads, Nebraska Educational Telecommunications Commission, Nebraska State Patrol, Nebraska Department of Economic Development's Division of Tourism, and the Nebraska Lottery. Since 2002, six statewide AMBER Alerts have been issued and in each case, the missing children were returned home safely.
