5.3 Internet

The use of the Internet is becoming more important each year. As quickly as possible easily accessed Web Site and e-mail addresses should be established and publicized on flyers and press releases.

Web Site Maintenance

The Web Site Maintainer will need to:

• Select a reliable, fast, and robust web service provider and establish an account.
• Obtain the use of a registered domain or an available directory to use for the URL.
• Create and maintain the Recovery Center pages.
• Establish a "mail-to" button on the Recovery Center Home Page for E-mail to the Recovery Center and the missing child's family.
• Process e-mail directed to the family and to the Recovery Center.
  • filter family e-mail before forwarding
  • forward any relevant material to law enforcement
  • make available general e-mail directed to the Recovery Center
• File copies of all material with the Historian.

Information for Web Pages

As quickly as it becomes available and is approved by the Director or Deputy Director, the following information should be posted to the Web Site:

• Flyers with photographs in a ready to print format
  • bilingual if appropriate
  • as similar to printed flyer as feasible
• A collection of photographs of the missing child for use by others in creating flyers (obtain permission from the family).
• Press releases about the search effort.
• Any other approved material requested by the Director, Deputy Director, or law enforcement.

Equipment Required

• Computer Workstation with large color monitor
• High Resolution Color Scanner and supporting software
• Internet Access Software
• HTML Authoring Software
• Web Browser
• FTP Software
• E-mail Processing software
• Dial up Internet Access - MODEM and dedicated phone line
• Printer to print e-mail messages and archival copies of posted material
• See section on Recommended Software.

Supplies Required

• Disks to exchange files (if not networked)
• Photographs of missing child

Shutdown Tasks

After the search is concluded the need for Web Site support is ended. The e-mail address might be maintained for some time after the search is concluded. Any e-mail received should be forwarded to the appropriate persons. The web pages might be left for some time in order to support any on-going investigations or simply to provide information about the Recovery Center's effort.