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Press
Release
BROADCASTERS DONATE PORTABLE TVs TO THE
NATIONAL CENTER FOR MISSING & EXPLOITED CHILDREN’S RAPID RESPONSE
TEAM WORKING TO REUNITE FAMILIES DISPLACED BY HURRICANE KATRINA
ALEXANDRIA, VA - October 21, 2005 – In the wake
of Hurricane Katrina, the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) has
generously donated 150 battery-operated handheld television sets with
AM/FM radio capability to the National Center for Missing & Exploited
Children’s (NCMEC) rapid response team, called Team ADAM, which
is working to reunite fractured families displaced by Hurricane Katrina.
“We are grateful for the NAB’s support of our efforts to
help reunite families in the wake of this devastating tragedy,”
said Ernie Allen, president and CEO of NCMEC. “This broadcast equipment
has become a valuable resource for our team on the ground. It’s
given them access to local and national news so they are always on top
of the latest information regarding hurricane relief efforts in the areas
they are working.”
The five-inch analog TV’s, purchased by the NAB from St. Louis-based
GPX, have been distributed to NCMEC’s 20 Team ADAM consultants in
Louisiana and Mississippi as well as the many families reunited by NCMEC
and other first responders working with the organization in this effort.
“These portable TV/radio systems are allowing us to feel connected
to the community around us and were especially helpful when we were bracing
for Hurricane Rita,” said Team ADAM consultant Pam Reed, who is
working Louisiana.
“The devastation in Mississippi is hard to fathom and electricity
is still spotty in many areas,” said Team ADAM consultant Dave Mesinar.
“We have been working for weeks with no access to television until
the NAB stepped in with these battery operated TV sets. They have given
us and the families we are reuniting a lifeline to critical information
in our area.”
When Hurricane Katrina hit, the U.S. Department of Justice asked NCMEC
to create a special national hotline and web site dedicated to taking
reports of missing and displaced children and adults. Since September
5th, NCMEC has handled more than 31,000 calls and helped reunite more
than 2,500 families. NCMEC Team ADAM consultants are retired law enforcement
officers with years of experience in investigating missing children cases.
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 335,000
leads. Since its establishment in 1984, NCMEC has assisted law enforcement
with more than 116,000 missing child cases, resulting in the recovery
of more than 94,000 children. For more information about NCMEC, please
visit www.missingkids.com or call 1-800-THE-LOST.
CONTACT:
Communications Department
NCMEC
703-837-6111
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