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Car dealership hosts 'Keeping Kids Safe Project'
Dan Eakin/Staff Photo - Jason Winne, 7, of Plano, was among more than 100 children and teenagers who were fingerprinted by Alissa Benish, child safety specialist, during the Keeping Kids Safe Project this weekend at Chrysler Jeep Dodge City of McKinney.
By Dan Eakin, deakin@starlocalnews.com
More than 100 Collin County children are now likely safer thanks to an event that took place Friday and Saturday at Chrysler Jeep Dodge in McKinney.
The dealership hosted the Keeping Kids Safe Project, which provided fingerprinting and photographs for children of all ages, as well as fun activities and helpful information on how to stay safe.
The event offered a gymnastics setup for children and teenagers to play and practice on, a classic car show, a visit from Sparky the Fire Dog and safety tips.
"So many children are reported missing each day in the United States; most are found within minutes or hours and have happy endings," said Alissa Benish, child safety specialist. "Police officials say that time is critical in the recovery of missing children. One major problem that costs precious time is the gathering of critical photographs, fingerprints and statistical information to assist law enforcement agencies."
She added, "We would like to thank Chrysler Jeep Dodge of McKinney for bringing the Keeping Kids Safe Project into your community."
Benish said there are several national searches now under way for children who have disappeared in recent months, including for Lyric Cook, 10, and Elizabeth Collins, 8, of Evansdale, Iowa, who have been missing since July 13. The cousins were last seen riding their bicycles, which were found abandoned near a lake. Police have a suspect, but the girls have not yet been located.
In addition to the photographing and electronic recording of fingerprints, the Keeping Kids Safe Project also collects names, addresses, eye color, weight, height and other information about the children, and even asks parents to keep a list of the children's friends and phone numbers in case their children go missing.
The organization offers several tips to parents to help keep their children safe:
* Teach your child that safety is more important than manners. In other words, it is more important for children to get themselves out of a threatening situation than it is to be polite. Even though children are taught not to hit or kick, let them know that if they are scared, they are allowed to do anything to get out of the situation. They also need to know that it is OK to tell you what happened and they won't be tattletales.
* Require your children to always use the buddy system. There is safety in numbers, so children need to have a friend who always knows where they are when they are outside the home.
* Do not teach "stranger danger." Children do not have the same understanding of strangers as adults. The concept is difficult for them to grasp. In fact, people who are known to the children and their families actually often pose a greater danger to children than strangers.
* While screaming is often frowned upon, teach children to yell, "You're not my mother" or "You're not my father," or even to just yell "fire" to attract attention in a time of danger.
* Make sure your children know their name, address and telephone number, and also your names.
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