APB Security Systems

Can we keep our children safe?

Whether or not you have children or grandchildren, your actions and influence have the power to forever alter the lives of many people…By being aware of potentially dangerous situations and by communicating this awareness to others, you may directly (OR indirectly through communication) prevent a tragedy.

Infants

Totally helpless and vulnerable, from the day they are born, infants are subject to kidnapping, abuse, injury, and sickness. An infant is completely dependent upon its caregivers to keep him safe and protected from danger. New technology offers many special solutions to help insure the safety and well-being of our precious newborns:

The Hospital - Before choosing where your baby will be born, check into their security systems and procedures…

Can a stranger in a nurse’s uniform gain access to the nursery?

Are alarmed ID bracelets provided? (These sound an alert if removed from the child or taken beyond a designated area.)

Are video cameras strategically placed within the facility and at all points of exit? (These have proven an excellent deterrent and are helpful in identifying and capturing a kidnapper, and providing critical evidence in prosecution.)

Be sure to speak with the doctors and hospital administration, write to their Board of Directors, and encourage others to help insure that infant security at hospitals includes today’s state of the art technology.

At Home – In addition to constant care, it’s important to monitor your baby’s cries and coughs, and many parents are opting to monitor their caregivers.

Is and inexpensive intercom helping you to listen for coughing, crying, or any unusual sound from the baby’s room when you are elsewhere in the home?

Have you considered a hidden camera to monitor your caregiver>

A babysitter’s care or lack of care can only be observed with a hidden camera. Today’s wireless cameras can be easily connected to an existing VCR for less than $600. This can help to eliminate or confirm any doubts you may have regarding the child’s care. (More sophisticated systems are also available which allow a parent to view the scene from the camera(s) via their computer at work.)

Toddlers – Active and curious, constant close supervision is vital to keeping preschoolers safe from harm. Entire books can be written about hazards and "child proofing’ homes and play areas. Here are some common seasonal dangers…

Are you sure that a competent adult is watching your could every second when they are near a swimming pool, beach, or lake? Every year we read about pool-related tragedies and constant, close supervision is vitally important in their prevention.

Is your child watched carefully when at the mall or playground? These provide the best opportunities for child abductors, and there is no protection greater than keeping a close eye on children. Also, be sure that ALL school and camp outings have sufficient adult supervision.

PRE-TEEN and YOUNG TEENAGERS

Children this age believe that they are competent and want to be independent, but they can be easily fooled by a clever stranger...

...Would your child refuse to help a young woman retrieve her keys, which are locked in the car by crawling through a small car window? Your child must be taught that all adults seeking help from children are suspect, regardless of appearance.

...Would your child refuse to help a kind-looking gentleman search for his lost puppy? Again, no matter how nice (or nice looking) a stranger may appear, a child must understand that it 1s not appropriate or usual for an adult to seek help from a child, and he should immediately leave the area and seek help from a trusted adult.

...When home alone, does your child know how to respond to a visitor or phone call as described in detail in previous newsletters?? In brief, ANSWER the door--do not OPEN the door, convince the visitor that the father is home but unable to come to the door at the moment, observe the visitor from a window, and notify a parent or neighbor of the incident immediately.

OLDER TEENAGERS

Danger seems to multiply as our children mature Risky driving behaviors are so much more common in our young drivers, many of whom consider themselves invincible. Headlines describing Fatalities and tragedies because of reckless driving don't seem to deter our young drivers...

...Is your child's personality strong enough to insist that a speeding driver slow down or let them out at a safe area with a pay phone?

...Will your child absolutely refuse to enter a car knowing that the driver "just had a few beers?"

... Is your child persuasive enough to have the music volume decreased so as to be able to hear an emergency vehicle's siren?

...Will your child riot get into a vehicle if he believes that the driver looks too tired to drive back from Wildwood at 3 a.m. ?

The sheer volume of vehicles on the roads today coupled with the recklessness of drivers make it dangerous to travel. Parents must find ways to insure that the additional risk factors listed above do not contribute to an already unsafe condition.

No matter how much we do and how much we care, we cannot protect or children from all harm. Perhaps the key to lessening the risks, however is communication...Talk to younger children about possible dangers. Let them know that adults deserve respect, Put not blind obedience. Could an abductor obtain the name of your child, approach her at a bus stop stating that her mother was in all accident and he was sent to take her to the hospital to meet her mother? Some scans would fool most adults!

Make discussion of driving dangers a priority with your older children, and be sure that your own driving is an excellent example...Don't expect your teenager to resist getting into a car with a driver who's had two beers after he has seen you drink throughout your cousin's wedding and proceed to drive your family home!!

As a parent, I realize that child raising is an anxiety-producing experience. My goal is not to make parents and children paranoid, but to reduce the risks of tragedy through increased awareness and communication. I can reach many readers through this newsletter, but · must count on those readers to reach the children...Make communication of some of these common scans and everyday risks a priority and you may (knowingly or unknowingly) prevent a tragedy from occurring in your family or community.

As Always my assistance is available to anyone or any group wanting to learn more about personal, family, or business security.

Steve Coppola

Articles from Steve Coppola, President of APB Security Systems

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