Ohio & Mahoning Valley - The Ohio AMBER Alert Advisory Committee has announced a new change to how the public will receive AMBER Alert notifications on their mobile devices.

According to a press release, Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs) are now capable of transmitting 360-character messages in addition to the traditional 90-character messages thanks to increased technology by both wireless carriers and wireless device manufacturers.

While 90-character messages are limited to just including basic information, these longer messages allow for more in-depth details on the suspects, victims, vehicles, etc. to be provided.

Additionally, the changes enable a URL that redirects the user to Ohio's AMBER Alert website or other social media for additional information. Once redirected, users can see all information regarding the alert including photos.

Some older devices may only allow for 90-character messages, so both a 90-character and 360-character version of the message will be sent out to accommodate. The message a user receives depends on their device and carrier.

An example of what the new 360-character messages will look like is below:

"AMBER Alert: Columbus OH. 2008 red 4 door Honda Civic OH ABC1234. Victim, 3, white male, brown hair, blue shirt, blue shorts. Suspect, John Doe, 41, white male, blonde hair, red shirt, jeans. Last seen at 1234 Main Street, Columbus. If you see the child, suspect or vehicle, please call 911 or 1-877-AMBER-OH. https://www.ohioamberplan.org"