THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, July 28, 1996 TAG: 9607260171
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JENNIFER C. O'DONNELL, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 59 lines
Imagine returning from vacation to find that your home or business had been burglarized while you were gone. Police and neighbors had tried to contact you, but could not. In the meantime, your property has been subject to additional break-ins or vandalism.
Portsmouth resident John L. Ewing thinks he has a solution to such problems. Several years ago, Ewing developed Emergency Shield, a red-and-white sticker police can use to locate you or those you designate as contacts in case of an emergency.
With the help of Emergency Shield, Ewing hopes to bring in a hefty amount for this year's Chesapeake Fraternal Order of Police fund-raiser.
Ewing is offering the shield to Chesapeake businesses and homes through October for the Fraternal Order of Police's 1996-1997 fund-raiser. Opposed to telemarketing, Ewing is contacting home, business and vehicle owners by mail.
``I think that's one reason the Chesapeake Fraternal Order of Police chose the Emergency Shield as this year's fund-raiser,'' said Ewing. ``They didn't want people bothered at home.''
The Fraternal Order of Police is requesting a $20 donation for the shield.
``It's an effort to find a way that will truly serve the community and yet will also raise funds for our order,'' said Ewing. ``It helps citizens but it also helps the police because the shield gives them someone to contact. And it raises money for the order.''
Emergency Shield is a 24-hour emergency notification system for homes, businesses and vehicles. Home, business or vehicle owners place the sticker in an obvious place so that police can see it in an emergency situation.
A toll-free telephone number on the sticker puts police in contact with an answering service, which can give the authorities the names and phone numbers of up to three designated responsible parties.
``It's not a watch service,'' said Ewing. ``It's peace of mind.''
The shield is good for one year. Then, owners will be asked to renew. To keep records up to date, owners are frequently contacted to update their emergency contact names and numbers.
``That's especially important with a business where managers come and go quickly,'' said Ewing.
Ewing, a former Portsmouth police officer, developed the shield in 1992 after witnessing the success of a similar program in Portsmouth, called the Blue Shield. Blue Shield was started about 30 years ago in Portsmouth by Gerald B. Myers, a former Portsmouth police sergeant. The Blue Shield is strictly available to Portsmouth businesses.
``The Blue Shield worked well for Portsmouth businesses, but I believed a similar program for homes and vehicles would work, too,'' said Ewing.
``I tried to find out if there were any other companies that did this and I didn't find any,'' he said.
Although the Blue Shield is strictly local, Emergency Shield is available nationwide. Ewing's Emergency Shield is not in competition with the Portsmouth Blue Shield and to avoid confusing residents and the police, Ewing does not offer the service to Portsmouth businesses.
Ewing said he has sold approximately 4,000 decals nationwide. The decals prompt approximately 200 phone calls a year from police looking for emergency contacts. MEMO: More information about the Emergency Shield is available by
calling 628-5152. by CNB