NEW FLORIDA EMERGENCY ALERT: Spectrum

Mickey Starling Riverbend News Though the Florida Spectrum Alert was established in 2025, it didn’t go into effect until Wednesday, July 1. The new alert is intended to enhance the safety and well-being of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) through immediate and effective community and emergency response. Children with autism spectrum disorder are prone to wander, or elope, from safe environments at a much higher rate than their non-autistic peers. Elopement often results in tragedy, including fatal traffic accidents and drownings. Children with autism spectrum disorder are often attracted to bodies of water, which poses a unique risk in Florida due to the prevalence of wat