in Rocky Hill wants to ensure parents are armed for an AMBER alert. The numbers are alarming! According to the US Department of Justice, 797,500 children are reported missing each year. The math breaks down to an average of 2,185 children a day. AMBER Alerts are a method of sounding a nationwide alarm, if necessary, when a child goes missing. Through the AMBER Alert system, authorities are able to circulate information instantly through broadcasters and state transportation officials. AMBER Alerts interrupt regular programming and are broadcast on radio, television and highway signs. AMBER Alerts can also be issued on lottery tickets, wireless devices such as mobile phones, and over the Internet.
AMBER alerts have been used since 2003 and in that time, they’ve proven very effective. The federal government reports that AMBER Alert programs have helped save the lives of 554 children nationwide. A critical component of ensuring that the Alerts are successful is being able to provide an accurate description of a child through the use of a photograph.
As a concerned member of the Connecticut community, Nutmeg State Federal Credit Union will once again open its doors to the public for a free AMBER Alert ID event. This will be the second year that the credit union has hosted the event.
“We’re not just another bank. CT is our home and where our members and employees live,” said John Holt, President & CEO of Nutmeg State Federal Credit Union. “We feel it’s so important to hold events like this to offer assistance in the event of an emergency.”
This year’s AMBER Alert ID event will take place at Nutmeg State’s headquarters on Cromwell Avenue in Rocky Hill on Friday, April 20th. The free event is available for all children under the age of 18. Parents/Guardians of participating children will receive a wallet sized, plastic card with a picture of the child, a unique AMBER ID number and only minimal, yet essential information needed to identify the child. This information is stored in a secure database. The card can then be presented to a law enforcement department in the event a child is abducted and assists the officers by providing additional eyes to look for the vehicle and occupants listed in the alert.
Nutmeg State will also offer refreshments, fun activities and prizes for the kids.
“We’ve always had a great turn-out at our AMBER Alert ID events,” said Holt. “We look forward to once again connecting with the community by offering this very important service.”
Nutmeg State Federal Credit Union is a full-service, community credit union headquartered in Rocky Hill, CT with offices in Rocky Hill, Manchester, East Windsor, Hartford, Glastonbury, New Britain, and Newington.
Founded in 1936, just about anyone can take advantage of the credit union’s excellent rates and services. They offer: Checking and Savings accounts, Kidz and Teen Accounts, Online Account Opening, Mortgages, Auto Loans, Personal Lines of Credit, VISA® Credit Cards, ATM/Debit Services, Electronic Bill Payer, Mobile Banking, iPhone, Android and Blackberry Apps, Text and e-Mail Alerts, Direct Deposit, Financial Planning, Business Accounts, e-Deposits, and Telephone and Internet Banking. For more information, go to www.nutmegstatefcu.org.
