McGruff the Crime Dog® and AlertID Help Keep Kids Safe on July 4th

July 4th is a fun travel time for families, and whether you will be attending a parade, enjoying a barbeque or traveling with family, it is important to not let down your guard about keeping kids safe.

The National Crime Prevention Council, (home of McGruff the Crime Dog®), and AlertID join forces to provide important safety tips and advice to help families keep safe over the holiday and every day.

“Keeping kids safe while traveling can prove challenging for parents.  Being prepared and practicing simple safety rules will help protect your children every day, including while on travel,” said Ann M. Harkins, NCPC President and CEO.

Enjoy Independence Day and keep these important travel and safety tips in mind to help protect you and your children:

• Parents should prepare in advance to become familiar with any places they and their family will visit over Independence Day:
• Parents may register for FREE at AlertID.com, enter an address and see an easy-to-read map showing sex offenders residing or working in the vicinity, view local crime information in many major cities and receive alerts  for these as well as those for severe weather, earthquake and traffic alerts.
• Snap a photo of the child prior to any event, and enter up-to-date  descriptions into AlertID’s My Family Wallet™ (located on AlertID’s free mobile app). If the child goes missing, members may access the information on their smartphones and send it quickly to law enforcement when every moment counts.
• Review safety rules with kids before you leave home, such as your cell number and what to do in case you become separated.
• Dress kids in bright colors that are easy for you to remember and recognize in a crowd.
• Accompany and supervise children in public facilities, including restrooms.
• Keep children with you at all times and strictly enforce a buddy system for older children, including designating a time and place to meet.
• Have children memorize or keep handy your cell phone number and address, as well as the name, phone number, and address of the place you are staying.
• Remind children to remain in the area where they become separated, and teach them to dial 9-1-1 in emergency situations.
• Point out unsafe places to play and discourage kids from taking shortcuts or playing near dangerous intersections.
• In the event they are grabbed by a stranger, instruct children to yell “This person is trying to take me!” or “This is not my mother/father!” and to resist by pulling, walking or running away.
• Stay in contact with your friends and neighbors by using AlertID’s Secure Social Network. See something suspicious? Members may send an alert to their neighbors, members in their current location, members of an AlertID group, and report it directly to law enforcement or even the Department of Homeland Security.

 “Summer and holidays are fun times for family, but we also need to remember to keep safety in mind when it comes to our kids. With families traveling over Independence Day and throughout the summer, being informed and prepared can truly help keep families and children safer”, according to AlertID’s Founder, Keli Wilson.

For more information and tips on travel safety, visit the National Crime Prevention Council’s website.

To sign up for a free AlertID account to help your family Live Safely™ or for more information, go to www.AlertID.com.