Experts: Prepare children for crowd safety before holiday weekend events

JACKSON, Tenn. — Safety experts say it only takes a few seconds to lose a child in a crowd.

With thousands of West Tennesseans expected to enjoy festivals for Independence Day, investigators say it’s important to teach children what to do if they get separated in a crowd.

Capt. Tracey Grisham with the Henderson County Sheriff’s Department said it’s crucial to have enough adult supervision around to monitor children.

He said if you’re planning on going into large crowds, avoid allowing children to wear clothing or backpacks with their name visibly displayed. “Because a child will trust anyone, even a stranger, if they know their name,” he said.

Grisham recommends teaching children to avoid going into the parking lot if they are lost. “Cause that’s where all the vehicles are, and the level of danger, injury and even abduction increases,” he said.

Eddie Moore is a father to two teenagers. He said when they were younger, he taught them to look for officials in uniform if they were lost. “When they got a little older they had cell phones, so they always had their phones on them and they were able to use those,” Moore said.

Madison County Fire Chief Eric Turner said he expects more than 10,000 people at the third annual Firefighter’s Freedom Festival this year.

Chief Turner said 40 first responders will be dressed in uniform and floating through the crowd for the festival. Each person will be armed with a walkie talkie to communicate with if a child is reportedly separated from their family.