For Immediate Release
February 2, 2005
Code Amber Contact: Linda Spagnoli 772.971.4816
PerfTech Contact: Kathy Donzis 210.349.7152

MANDEVILLE, La., Feb. 2 -- While the Amber Alert system continues to progress under everyone's watchful eye, changes are being made to provide a seamless, accurate, and timely flow of information to media outlets and the public. Code Amber (http://www.codeamber.org) and Wide Open West (WOW!) Internet and Cable last week delivered an Indiana Amber Alert to customers in the neighboring state of Ohio, enabled by a product deployed in WOW!'s network that allows the Internet provider to deliver bulletins directly to the screens of its browsing subscribers. That product is Bulletin Services from PerfTech, Ltd. (http://www.perftech.com). While the PerfTech product has been used for months to deliver service bulletins, this was the first instance of its use for delivery of an Amber Alert. Over 20,000 WOW! subscribers viewed the detail page at Code Amber, representing a "click through rate" of over 38%.

Unfortunately the Indiana Amber Alert ended tragically after Katlyn Collman's body was recovered in a stream about 20 miles from where she disappeared. The Indiana State Police have received sharp criticism for their apparent delay in issuing an Amber Alert, however according to Code Amber statistics relating to over 200 Amber Alert statistics nationwide in the past three years, their decision was correct.

Linda Spagnoli, Director of Communications at Code Amber, monitors media coverage of missing children which may result in an Amber Alert. "Indiana's statistics indicate they are extremely efficient and consistent in judgment when evaluating criteria. We can find only two cases of 'gray area' in Indiana where an Amber Alert could have been questioned, and in both cases the Indiana State Police chose to issue the alert."

Bryant Harper, President and Founder of Code Amber, says "States interpret their specific criteria differently. Indiana has been neither too generous nor too conservative. Out of 47 requests they have approved 20. Five were resolved before activation. 15 were activated, leaving 27 denied because the criteria were not met. That's very close to the national average."

"What IS important," says Harper, "Is the immediate transfer of information to the media once the criteria is met and the Amber Alert issued. When the Indiana State Police had information regarding a suspect and possible vehicle the Amber Alert was activated in less than 30 minutes."

PerfTech's software received Code Amber's XML feed and immediately delivered the information to WOW's subscribers resulting in over 50,000 receiving the information. This is in addition to Code Amber's delivery to over 200,000 web sites via Java script ticker, XML feed to media outlets, and e-mail distribution.

Spagnoli says, "It's been a year since Carlie Brucia was murdered in Florida. The Amber Alert system was questioned then when the criteria wasn't met until a day after she went missing. It was determined that it would not have helped even if it was issued immediately. Our hearts ache for the children who were likely harmed before anyone knew they were missing. There are always going to be predators we can't stop and children we can't save."

She says the predators need to be kept in jail, and initiatives like Carlie's Law, which is being considered after being introduced by Katherine Harris (R-Sarasota,FL) need to be enacted to keep dangerous criminals away from our children.

About Code Amber Based in Mandeville, LA, Code Amber LLC is the largest broadcaster of Amber Alerts on the Internet. With its Java script ticker, desktop ticker, and XML feed, Code Amber reaches millions of users. Code Amber is utilized by all major network broadcasters including on-air and Internet sites. For more information, go to www.codeamber.org.

About PerfTech Founded in 2001, PerfTech is headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. For 25 years, core members of the founding team have developed leading edge products in networking technology including the first commercial LAN, an award-winning peer-to-peer PC LAN, the first LAN-to-Internet access device for small businesses, and innovative VPN devices. Numerous awards, patents and patent applications have been generated. For more information, go to www.perftech.com.