South Amboy Crossing Guards Get Wireless Safety Net

SOUTH AMBOY, NJ — Students returning to school in South Amboy this fall will walk to class on safer streets, thanks to 10 wireless phones and service donated by Verizon Wireless. South Amboy Mayor John O'Leary and Police Chief Steve Pavich accepted the donation at police headquarters last week.

"South Amboy's crossing guards are a key factor in keeping our children safe on the way to and from school," Mayor O'Leary said. "These phones will provide a wireless safety net for guards stationed at some of the city's busiest intersections where both vehicular and pedestrian traffic are heavy."

Programmed to dial both 9-1-1 and the South Amboy Police Department, the phones will allow crossing guards to summon help quickly and easily in an emergency without leaving their posts.

"Every day, school crossing guards are on the front lines protecting our children as they navigate busy streets and intersections on their way to class," said Charles Hand, president of Verizon Wireless' New York Metro Region. "These phones will ensure they can summon help immediately. By augmenting 9-1-1 service with a hotline to the police, Verizon Wireless hopes to cover many kinds of emergency situations, allowing guards to report suspicious activities as well as life-threatening emergencies."

Since the inception of the company's HopeLine® community service program in 1995, Verizon Wireless has donated and recycled over 40,000 wireless phones in the New York Metro area, providing essential communication tools to people who need a vital, reliable link to emergency services in times of crisis. In addition to crossing guards, recipients of these phones include victims of domestic violence, senior citizens and community patrols.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless is the largest wireless communications provider in the U.S. with more than 28 million wireless voice and data customers. The coast-to-coast wireless provider was formed by the combination of the U.S. wireless businesses of Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD), including Bell Atlantic Mobile, AirTouch Cellular, GTE Wireless and PrimeCo Personal Communications. Verizon Wireless has a footprint covering more than 90 percent of the U.S. population, 49 of the top 50 and 97 of the top 100 U.S. markets. The company, headquartered in Bedminster, NJ, is 40,000 employees strong. Reporters and editors can find more information about the company on the Web at http://www.verizonwireless.com.

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