Change Amber Alerts and Search and Rescue criteria for Special Needs Individuals

We, the people, do hereby petition as follows:

That the criteria for Amber Alerts B.C and Search and Rescue B.C. (which will from this point on be referred to as SARS) be changed so that people with Special Needs (child or adult) who are incapable of wandering off, wandering off is contrary behaviour, or who are incapable of keeping themselves safe if lost will automatically qualify for immediate response from SARS or both services and be waived the 24 hour wait period.

1) If there are specialists* who can attest to the serious/strong improbability of a specific person wandering off or running away.

2) If there are specialists* who can confirm that the missing individual, regardless of being abducted/wandering/lost, would be incapable of keeping themselves safe or incapable of communicating effectively enough to help themselves.

3) If there are specialists* who can confirm that the missing individual is in serious risk of health issues if not found within the 24 hour period. (For example, but not limited to, an Alzheimer patient that needs heart medication daily or a child who suffers from seizures and requires regularly scheduled medication.)

*Those who should qualify as specialists would be, but not limited to: family physicians, school therapists (including full time personal aides), occupational therapists, psychiatrists, psychologists, Autism workers, nurses, and any other person with certification and personal experience with the missing person at hand.*




These people are falling through the cracks of a system that didnt take them into account. The excuse that you cant broadcast an Amber Alert or initiate SARS for every missing child or people wont listen and it will burden down the system just cant be used when it comes to these specific individuals. Out of the thousands of children who go missing every year, a VERY small number, if any of them, are Special Needs and it just isnt reasonable to think that these select few would over use the system and cause it to be ignored. That is an insulting reason to justify blatantly not taking into account the fact that these individuals need more.