Alert system can save victims of any age

Sometimes, yelling “fire” in a movie theater is the right thing to do because there’s a fire in the movie theater. Amber Alerts have been with us long enough that they are in danger of being ignored like blaring car alarms in the supermarket parking lot. That doesn’t mean they don’t continue to serve a purpose.

They have also been around long enough that many people are likely unaware that they were inspired by the abduction and murder of 9-year-old Amber Hagerman in 1996. Amber would be 32 had she lived.

The concept is simple, and the potential reach of an alert continues to expand with evolving technology. A child up to age 17 is identified by law enforcement as having been abducted and at risk, and a panic button is hit that signals notifications via radio, television, digital billboards and text messages with information about the victim and abductor.

Most states have added Silver Alerts to similarly protect the population that is over 65. But a vacuum remains for people between those ages.

Another tragedy has resulted in proposals to fill the void. Two years ago, 19-year-old Ashanti Billie was abducted from a military base in Hampton Roads, Va., where she worked. Her body was found 11 days later behind a church in North Carolina.

A military base and a church: Two places where anyone should feel safe.

Virginia has since passed legislation for an adult alert bill. Connecticut has taken up the cause to make it a national law. Billie was the second cousin of Patricia Billie Miller, a state representative from Stamford.

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., is spearheading legislation to create the Ashanti Alert system for adults 18 to 64. It passed unanimously in the U.S. Senate, and the House is considering a companion bill.

But, like any alert system of this kind, the clock is ticking.

If it does not become law before a new Congress convenes, advocates will have to start from scratch. Miller is poised to address that possibility by proposing it become a Connecticut law.

If it seems like a no-brainer, keep in mind that some people have little tolerance for a screech on their phone or television, and there are a few members of Congress among them.

Smart phones offer the option of disabling the alerts, but don’t look to us for instructions.

These systems are not without flaws.

Some of the alerts offer information too vague to be of use to anyone hoping to help.

But when that clock starts ticking, it’s important to rally all possible resources. Department of Justice officials believe murders in these cases occur within the first three hours of abduction. They also credit the alert with helping recover some thousand children.

Sometimes it’s right to yell “fire” in a theater. Sometimes you should look in the direction of a car alarm. Sometimes an alert can save a life. It’s time to fill this void.

A military base and a church: Two places where anyone should feel safe.