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This Week's Facts:
Amber Alerts Available through Wireless Devices  Every second that a child goes missing makes it more unlikely that a child will
be found. The first three hours after a child's abduction are the most critical
to recovery efforts. The National Wireless AMBER alerts initiative is a
partnership between the wireless industry, the
United States
Department of Justice, and the
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
(NCMEC) to distribute
Amber Alerts to wireless subscribers who opt to receive the messages on their
wireless devices.
The Amber alerts program began in 1997 using radio as its primary means of dissemination. Today, Amber Alerts have gone high-tech, to include television, websites, and electronic highway signs. You can sign up for free Amber alerts on your cell phone; it’s quick and may help save a child’s life.
------------------------------- Friday Facts is written and edited by:
Katharine Springer Join the FDPL listserv to get the latest government information |
Congress in the Classroom Program Seeks ApplicantsCongress in the Classroom is a program designed to instruct teachers on new
methods of teaching about Congress and the United States Government. The program is
sponsored by the
Dirksen
Congressional Center and held in Peoria, Illinois for three days in late
July. High school and middle school teachers who teach history, social studies,
government or political science are encouraged to apply. The application
deadline is April 15, 2009 and forty participants will be selected. While this
program is designed for teachers rather than librarians, libraries may be
interested in posting this for any teachers in their community.Those who are not selected for the workshop can also learn about new teaching techniques via the online edition. Children and young adults may be interested in the Dirksen Center’s Congress for Kids website. This interactive site uses activities and fun illustrations to teach kids about Congress. Of course, both the Senate and the House of Representatives have their own websites, both of which provide access to current legislation, as well as information about members of Congress and the history of the institutions. For more information on Congress in the Classroom, please see the Dirksen Center’s information sheet. YUCK! Poison Prevention Week Starts Next Week March
15-21 2009 marks
National
Poison Prevention Week. More than 2 million
poisonings are reported to poison control centers each year.
Most of these cases that are non-fatal occur among children
under the age of six. National Poison Prevention Week was
designed to inform the public about the prevalence of accidental
poisonings in the home and elsewhere, and to shed light on ways
to prevent such events from happening.
The Poison Prevention Week Council, which was established by Congress in 1961, provides a handy list of materials that discuss the dangers of various poisons – whether they be plants, medicines, lead or pesticides. Many of these materials are downloadable and most are free. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) also provides a list of publications discussing poison prevention. All of these can be downloaded. Check out the Center for Disease Control’s website for additional publications. They provide access to governmental reports on poison prevention. The website also includes a link to the CDC’s Podcast on poisonings. Finally, as summer draws near, adults, children and animals all have easier access to pesticides. Visit the EPA’s website on pesticide safety for more information. Local Unemployment Data Available Through STATS
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