New emergency alert proposed for missing indigenous peoples

The federal agency has proposed adopting an event code that would use the integrated public alert and warning system to raise awareness of missing and endangered Indigenous peoples who are 17 years of age and older and therefore not covered by the Amber Alert system.

The Five Tribes passed the resolution in support of the proposed alert system at the April 19 council meeting. The resolution notes that Native Americans account for 2.5% of all missing person cases, even though they make up only 1.2% of the U.S. population, according to the National Crime Information Center. It also states that Native women in the U.S. are ten times more likely to be victims of homicide than non-Native women, “underscoring the urgent need for targeted attention and specialized support.”

The Urban Indian Health Institute posted on social media about the proposed FCC event codes: “We need to go further – we want this alert system to make it very clear that Native Americans, Alaska Natives and Indigenous Peoples are targeted.”

“We have asked the FCC to meet with members of the Not Invisible Act (NIA) Commission, tribal leaders and Native leaders to develop an appropriate name for the system.”

FEMA’s Integrated Public Alert and Warning System provides authenticated emergency information to the public via cell phones and through the National Emergency Alert System radio and television. Since 1997, EAS has helped federal, state and local governments efficiently disseminate emergency alerts and alerts across multiple channels.

The public is invited to submit comments to the FCC by May 20 on the proposed Missing Indigenous Persons Alert System.