ADT-SPONSORED CODE ADAM PROGRAM

ADT-SPONSORED CODE ADAM PROGRAM
Press Release ADT-SPONSORED CODE ADAM PROGRAM HELPS REUNITE PARENTS WITH LOST CHILDREN DURING HECTIC HOLIDAY SHOPPING SEASON Country’s Largest Child-Safety Program Attracting More Participants BOCA RATON, FL -- (December 20, 2005) -- You are fighting the holiday crowds at a busy shopping mall when you look down to find that your 4-year-old, who has been at your side all morning, is missing. Even just a few seconds of separation in a store or shopping mall can put a child in harm’s way – and throw the calmest parent into a panic. Holiday shopping crowds make keeping track of a young child that much more difficult. A growing number of retailers are taking steps to increase the odds of a speedy parent/child reunion. These retailers are participating in the Code Adam program offered by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) and sponsored by ADT Security Services, Inc. Code Adam is one of the country's largest child-safety programs and is named in memory of 6-year-old Adam Walsh, who was abducted from a Florida shopping mall and murdered in 1981. The Code Adam program is a simple, effective training program for retail personnel. When a customer reports a missing child to a store employee, a "Code Adam" alert is announced over the public-address system. A brief description of the child is obtained and provided to designated employees, who immediately stop their normal work to search for the child and monitor all exits to help prevent the child from leaving the store. If the child is not found within 10 minutes of initiating a storewide search, or if the child is seen accompanied by someone other than a parent, guardian, or trusted adult, store personnel contact local law enforcement and request assistance. “This program is a powerful tool in the fight against child abduction and has been used in more than 53,000 establishments,” said Jamie Haenggi, vice president of Commercial Marketing for ADT. “As a company involved in securing both businesses and homes, our support of this program is part of our commitment to providing safer communities for everyone.” The Code Adam program was created and promoted by the Wal-Mart® retail stores in 1994. Since that time the program has been offered to other retailers and establishments open to the public. Other participants in the program include Best Buy, Circuit City, J.C. Penney, Gap, Home Depot and Lowe’s Home Improvement Warehouse. In the past year, the program has grown significantly -- with more than 9,000 establishments nationwide signing up to participate. “Parents and guardians should look for the blue and white “Code Adam” sticker prominently displayed on the front door of a store or other establishment,” said Ernie Allen, president and CEO of NCMEC. “The Code Adam program has been very successful in making sure that the case of a missing child is taken seriously and acted on immediately and in a uniform fashion.” For more information about child safety or a free copy of NCMEC’s publication “Know the Rules: Safety Tips for the Holidays,” call 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or visit www.missingkids.com. About NCMEC NCMEC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that works in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. NCMEC's congressionally mandated CyberTipline, a reporting mechanism for child sexual exploitation, has handled more than 350,000 leads. Since its establishment in 1984, NCMEC has assisted law enforcement with more than 111,000 missing child cases, resulting in the recovery of more than 96,900 children. For more information about NCMEC, call its toll-free, 24-hour hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or visit its web site at www.missingkids.com. About ADT Security Services Celebrating its 131st anniversary, ADT Security Services, Inc., a unit of Tyco Fire & Security, is the largest provider of electronic security services to more than six million commercial, government and residential customers throughout North America. ADT's total security solutions include intrusion, fire protection, closed circuit television, access control, critical condition monitoring, electronic article surveillance, radio frequency identification (RFID) and integrated systems. ADT's web site address is www.adt.com. CONTACT: Communications Department NCMEC 703-837-6111 media@ncmec.org Ann Lindstrom ADT Security Services, Inc. 561-988-3258 561-289-0259 alindstrom@adt.com http://www.missingkids.com/missingkids/servlet/NewsEventServlet?LanguageCountry=en_US&PageId=2220

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