(Atlanta) — Most children have access to the Internet, either at school or at home. While many sites are safe for kids to visit, unfortunately, children may be exposed to predators, harassment and other dangers in cyberspace.

To help keep kids safe on the Internet, the Georgia Emergency Management Agency’s (GEMA) School Safety Unit will present, “Internet Safety, Cyber Bullying and Crime Prevention Techniques,” a free class for parents and anyone else who supervises children’s online activity. This class will be at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 6, 2008, at Huntington Middle School, located 206 Wellborn Road in Warner Robins. It is open to the public.

Topics will include Windows basics, parental controls, popular social networking Web sites, hacking, and protecting privacy. In addition, instructors will go online and pose as children to demonstrate how quickly they may be solicited in cyberspace.

By law, every public school in Georgia must develop and implement a wide-ranging safety plan that addresses acts of violence or terrorism, natural disasters, hazardous materials and radiological incidents. GEMA’s School Safety Unit has developed a planning guide for schools to help them create their plans.

In addition, GEMA’s School Safety Unit provides services that help schools have a safe and secure school year. GEMA’s school safety coordinators offer training and technical assistance to educators, emergency management and public safety personnel. This training includes site surveys and safety audits, weapons screening, school bus safety, gangs, bullying, exercise design and bomb threat management. They also respond to school crises.

For more information on school safety or GEMA’s School Safety Unit, call GEMA toll-free in Georgia at 1-800-TRY-GEMA or visit www.gema.ga.gov.

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Post Office Box 18055 - Atlanta, Georgia 30316-0055
Phone (404) 635-7000 or toll-free in Georgia 1-800-TRY-GEMA - Fax (404)635-7205
www.gema.ga.gov
www.ready.ga.gov
www.georgia911.org