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Press
Release
NATIONAL CENTER FOR MISSING & EXPLOITED CHILDREN
AND HONEYWELL RELEASE SUMMER SAFETY TIPS FOR CHILDREN
Ernie Allen – President of NCMEC – Appears on NBC’s
Today Show to Discuss Child Safety Tips at Amusement Parks
WASHINGTON, DC and MORRIS TOWNSHIP, NJ – July 23, 2004 –
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) and Honeywell
are drawing on their partnership to raise awareness of child safety and
family security at amusement parks. In 2003, the two organizations co-created
Got 2B Safe!, a nationwide program that educates eight to ten year
olds and their parents on how to help prevent child abduction and exploitation.
In 2003, 322 million people visited approximately 600 amusement parks
in the U.S., according to the International Association of Amusement Parks
and Attractions. Taking time to plan the trip and including children in
that process helps to make the outing a more enjoyable one from start
to finish. Keeping children safer during the outing should include some
essential tactics to prevent child abduction.
This morning, Ernie Allen was interviewed by The Today Show’s
Matt Lauer about keeping children safer at America’s amusement parks
by sharing tips for preventing child abduction and exploitation. Following
are the Got 2B Safe! child safety rules and amusement park safety tips.
Additional information can be found on http://www.honeywell.com or http://www.missingkids.com.
Got 2B Safe! Rules
- Check First - Children should always check with parents and
guardians before accepting gifts, rides or invitations from anyone,
including friends, acquaintances and people they don't know.
- Go With a Friend - Simple and straightforward - never go anywhere
alone. Being with another person in public is safer and more fun.
- It's My Body - Anyone who violates the sanctity of a child's
body or threatens or attempts to do so is committing a crime. Tell your
children it is okay to say "NO!"
- Tell a Trusted Adult - Teach your children to TELL a trusted
adult -- parent, teacher, etc. -- if anyone or anything makes them feel
scared, uncomfortable or confused.
Other Amusement Park Safety Tips
- Be alert - Remind children to pay attention to where they are
and who they are with at all times.
- "Meet up Spot" - Parents and children should plan
beforehand to use the Help/Information Center as their designated meeting
area. If a child is separated, they should go there immediately. Children
should NEVER go with a person they don't know, or search for their parents
alone, especially in parking lots.
- I.D. - Do not let the child's name be displayed, but make sure
they have some form of identification, and family/emergency contact
information.
- Digits - Make sure your children know your phone number, including
cell phone or pager numbers, and understand that you don't need money
to dial 9-1-1.
About the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) is
a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, which serves as a national clearinghouse
for information and a resource for child protection. It works in cooperation
with the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency
Prevention. NCMEC's congressionally mandated CyberTipline, a reporting
mechanism for child sexual exploitation, has handled more than 250,000
leads. Since its establishment in 1984, NCMEC has assisted law enforcement
with more than 98,000 missing child cases, resulting in the recovery of
more than 83,000 children. For more information about NCMEC, please visit
www.missingkids.com or call 1-800-THE-LOST.
About NCMEC and Honeywell Partnership
In 2003, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
and Honeywell Hometown Solutions, the community relations arm of Honeywell
International, partnered to develop Got 2B Safe! Think Smart
and Take Charge! Got 2B Safe! is a nationwide program that educates
eight to ten year olds and their parents on how to prevent child abduction
and exploitation. Since its inception, Got 2B Safe! has been used in 135,000
classrooms with 1.6 million elementary students throughout the U.S.
CONTACT:
Ted Birkhahn
Peppercom for Honeywell
(212) 931-6119
tedb@peppercom.com
Communications
Department
National Center
for Missing & Exploited Children
703-837-6111
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