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Pop-A-Lock -- North America's Largest Locksmith Network -- Partners With KidsAndCars.org to Prevent Child Heatstroke Fatalities this Summer


child in car seat (select to view enlarged photo)

LAFAYETTE, LA -- June 26, 2015: With the start of summer, safety thoughts turn to keeping loved ones cool in the radically hot weather and high humidity conditions. As temperatures rise, parents and caregivers must re-double their efforts to ensure no children are left in cars or have access to unlocked cars. In honor of National Safety Month and the upcoming warmer summer season, Pop-A-Lock (PAL), North America's largest locksmith network, has partnered with KidsAndCars.org, a world-renown national child safety organization, to educate parents and caregivers about the dangers of unknowingly leaving a child in a vehicle this summer through their "Look Before You Lock with Pop-A-Lock" campaign that aims to prevent child vehicular heatstroke fatalities.

The "Look Before You Lock with Pop-A-Lock" campaign will focus on the dangers of leaving children unattended in or around vehicles and educate caregivers about Pop-A-Lock's nationwide PAL Saves Kids Program. This first-of-its-kind program will interact with customers and distribute educational materials to organizations supporting parents, caregivers, and children through proactive social media. Aimed to support local police and firefighters, the PAL Saves Kids program educates individuals to first call 9-1-1 and then call 1-800-Pop-A-Lock. The Pop-A-Lock technician nearest to the scene will leave all other priorities aside to arrive as soon as possible to unlock the automobile. This free community service program was originally launched in 1991 and since then has saved over 350,000 children.

"We are thrilled that the 'Look Before You Lock with Pop-A-Lock' campaign is being launched to help expand the awareness needed to prevent child deaths in hot cars," says Janette Fennell, Founder and President of KidsAndCars.org, the leading and only national nonprofit child safety organization solely dedicated to keeping children safe in and around motor vehicles. "With Pop-A-Lock's PAL program, no one should ever hesitate to call for help. Their nationwide free unlocking service can mean the difference between life and death for a young child in your community," Fennell said.

"We are very excited about the 'Look Before You Lock with Pop-A-Lock' campaign with KidsAndCars.org, as both of our organizations strive to prevent child heatstroke fatalities," said Don Marks, CEO of Pop-A-Lock. "We launched the PAL Saves Kids program in 1991 to educate individuals about the severe dangers of leaving children in unattended vehicles or mistakenly locking a child in an automobile. By using our expertise in the security industry, we are able to quickly and efficiently remove children from harm. This program provides our franchise owners with the opportunity to thank the communities that have supported our business for so many years."

To prevent child vehicular heat stroke from occurring, the PAL Saves Kids program includes a call-to-action: "PAL Saves 1-2-3." The "1-2-3" reminds caregivers to "look before you lock" by: 1-stopping; 2-looking; and then 3-locking.