The second Monday in September commemorates Florida Missing Children’s Day. This year’s ceremony on September 14 in the State Capitol Courtyard (10am-11am) marks the 10th anniversary of Florida Missing Children’s day. Governor Crist is scheduled to speak at the ceremony, which is intended to remember those still missing and to recognize individuals and law enforcement officials who have gone above and beyond in their work to address the issue of missing persons.
According to the Florida Missing Children’s Day Foundation (FMCDF), “The objective of this day is to raise awareness of Florida’s currently missing children, [and] to educate the public on child safety and abduction prevention.” FMCDF Board of Directors President Drew Kesse calls the day an “opportunity to remember, recognize and shine a light on those who cannot do so for themselves, the over 4,000 Missing and Abducted Floridians who have not made their way home.”
Amber Alert Registry (AAR), based in southeast Florida, is a company dedicated to helping keep kids and vulnerable adults safe by providing a secure online database where critical information can be accessed within seconds, should someone go missing or have a medical emergency. According to the US Department of Justice, the time elapsed from the initial alerting of law enforcement to an incident, to the gathering of critical information needed to initiate an appropriate response, is historically between two and four hours. Those first few hours are when every second lost may hold tremendous consequences. The Amber Alert Registry is able to provide this information to law enforcement within seconds of the initial contact with a parent, significantly improving the chances for a successful recovery.
While developing the database, AAR founders worked closely with numerous law enforcement agencies and child safety experts in order to maximize the efficiency and efficacy of the registry. “We’re proud to provide AAR as a service because we’re passionate about keeping kids safe,” says Zephora Haddon, Amber Alert Registry Vice President. “It’s important to commemorate Florida Missing Children’s Day, but we hope that someday it won’t be necessary. Our hearts go out to the friends and families of those who haven’t yet been found.”
For more information about Amber Alert Registry, including school and social fundraising programs, contact Haddon at contact@amberalertregistry.com.
