Published Sunday, October 20, 2002
By Kristen Garrett
Herald Staff Writer
Would you know how to escape from the trunk of a car? Stop someone from dragging you into their car? How about drawing attention to a home in which you're trapped?
Those are all things 25 children learned Saturday morning at Escape School. The training, to teach kids how to avoid being abducted, was held at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 3325 Morefield Road, Hermitage.
Presented by Don Harvey, a removal coordinator with Wood-Kortright Funeral Homes in Ravenna, Ohio, Escape School shows kids ages 4 to 15 techniques to use if someone tries to kidnap them.
The goal of the school is to teach kids to thinks smart, not scared, Harvey said.
Greg Popatak of Sharpsville took his two children and two of their friends to the school. He said he wanted to reinforce what he's told his kids about being safe and protecting themselves.
"Even though Sharpsville is quiet . . . it doesn't matter where you live," he said. Popatak said he thinks it helps kids to hear how important protecting themselves is from someone other than a parent.
There are 4,600 child abductions each year in the United States and 300 of those children will never be seen alive again, Harvey said. Of those abductions, 600 happen at school bus stops, he said.
Harvey told parents shopping malls, and especially public restrooms, are places to be very careful. He urged parents to check the restroom to see who is inside before letting their children go in unattended. He added that mothers should even open the door and look inside the men's room.
Devin O'Brien, 13, of Brookfield said he learned things he didn't know such as how to escape from the trunk of a car by kicking the tail light wires.
Harvey told the kids disabling the tail lights increases the chance of the police pulling over the car.
Laura O'Brien, Devin's step-mother, said she brought Devin and his two sisters because of all the child abductions that have occurred recently. She said she was very happy with the class and thinks it should be taught in the schools as well.
Dianna Murphy of Sharon brought her 10- and 6-year-old sons in the hope they would learn techniques to keep them safe. "I'm always cautious with my children," she said.
Mrs. Murphy said the class also made her aware of some things the family needs to work on such as a secret code word.
Harvey suggested families use a secret code so that if someone approaches a child and asks the child to go with them, the child can ask for the code word. If the person doesn't know it, the child knows not to go with that person, he said.
Harvey said he started teaching the class two years ago and now teaches between one to three classes every day of the week.
The class builds up children's confidence to know that they can hurt a kidnapper if they need to.
Ken Burke of Holy Trinity said he was very happy with the class, and it taught parents what their kids can do to protect themselves.
Another free Escape School will be held at 11:30 a.m. Saturday at Holy Trinity. Parents can call (724) 981-2050 to sign up their children.
For information about hosting a class call Don Harvey at (800) 371-5398.
You can e-mail Herald Staff Writer Kristen Garrett at
kgarrett@sharonherald.com