Outlet Key Shop, LLC, a local locksmithing service, wants to make the public aware of its Emergency Child Rescue (ECR) program, a free community service offered to homes and vehicles where a child or senior’s life is in jeopardy.
OKS owner Doc Bishop launched the program in 2013 in response to the KidsandCars.org public initiative, which promotes awareness of the dangers of leaving children unattended in motor vehicles. Bishop also recognizes the importance of being available to help senior citizens who might accidentally become locked out of their homes, with potentially dire consequences. He refers to an incident in the Lonsdale area that occurred earlier this year, where an 89-year-old woman became locked out of her house and died of complications from hypothermia. “I was mortified when I read this story,” said Bishop, “because I never got a phone call. This is in my backyard. There is no excuse for something like that to happen. These are my neighbors.”
In 2014 alone, Bishop and his team of locksmiths performed 14 rescues. If someone sees a child or senior in danger, Bishop emphasizes that you should first call 911, then call Outlet Key Shop at (865) 523-4541. Help is immediately dispatched—technicians have left in the middle of jobs to respond to ECR emergencies—and OKS establishes communication with 911 rescue services to coordinate the rescue.