Imagine the Unthinkable and Take Steps to Prevent It; Be Vigilant to Help Keep Your Children Safe Throughout the Summer and Beyond

Bringing to life the panic and fear faced by thousands of parents each year when a child goes missing, a new video, "The Hardest Job in the World," raises awareness for the critical issue of child safety.  This video is the latest effort by Canon U.S.A. to raise awareness about this vital issue as part of its 20-plus year sponsorship of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children's (NCMEC) to help protect children and bring missing kids home.

The video content serves as a startling wake-up call to parents as we celebrate the beginning of summer that the risk of child abduction is elevated at a time when kids are outdoors more and often supervised less.

"The issues of missing and exploited children can be hard for people to talk about, but the children and families who are facing these tragedies, have no choice. It is critical that we are there to support them," said Callahan Walsh, child advocate for NCMEC. "Sponsors like Canon, who have supported our mission for more than 20 years, help make that work possible."

Last year, the FBI cited more than 460,000 reports of missing children nationwide.¹ Here are some preventive measures, provided by NCMEC, that parents can use to encourage safety planning and precaution:

• Teach your children to stay put and not wander away from where they first got lost. If their location becomes too dangerous due to things like severe weather or traffic, encourage them to find a safe space not too far from their first spot.
     
• Take a photo of your child prior to each time you enter a public place, such as a ballpark or amusement park. This ensures that you always have a recent picture of them and what they are wearing.
       
• Talk to your children about safety – and remember that conversations you may have with an older child will differ than those with a younger child. For example, instruct older children to meet you at a designated spot and use their cell phone to contact you or emergency services if they get lost.
          
• If your child uses technology for gaming and social media, make sure that your child's third-party apps have location sharing settings turned off, as well as any other features that may share personal information. Ask your child to show you how they use their games and apps. 

While summer brings fun and playtime outside, it's crucial to be aware of the risks around child safety and help protect your kids. To view "The Hardest Job in the World" and help support NCMEC, please visit canon.missingkids.org.

About Canon U.S.A., Inc.
Canon U.S.A., Inc., is a leading provider of consumer, business-to-business, and industrial digital imaging solutions to the United States and to Latin America and the Caribbean markets. With approximately $36 billion in global revenue, its parent company, Canon Inc. (NYSE: CAJ), ranks third overall in U.S. patents granted in 2017^† and is one of Fortune Magazine's World's Most Admired Companies in 2018. Canon U.S.A. is committed to the highest level of customer satisfaction and loyalty, providing 100 percent U.S.-based service and support for all of the products it distributes in the United States. Canon U.S.A. is dedicated to its Kyosei philosophy of social and environmental responsibility. In 2014, the Canon Americas Headquarters secured LEED® Gold certification, a recognition for the design, construction, operations and maintenance of high-performance green buildings. To keep apprised of the latest news from Canon U.S.A., sign up for the Company's RSS news feed by visiting www.usa.canon.com/rss and follow us on Twitter @CanonUSA. For media inquiries, please contact [email protected].

¹Source: FBI National Crime Information Center's Missing Person and Unidentified Person Files
^†Based on weekly patent counts issued by United States Patent and Trademark Office.

SOURCE Canon U.S.A., Inc.

Related Links

http://www.usa.canon.com