ANTHEM, AZ (CBS5/AP) - It’s the latest high-tech
way to keep track of your kids. A new smart phone app is giving parents some extra peace of mind this Halloween.
Valley mom Tracy Begalke has three children. Finn, 4, will roam their Anthem neighborhood with his parents by his side, but the two older children will likely wonder off on their own, Begalke said. “I usually tell them what streets they can’t go past, but there’s no way of really knowing how far they go,” said Begalke. The Valley mom just discovered the new app for her smart phone that will allow Begalke to instantly see where her kids are at all times.
It’s called SecuraFone. It is basically a GPS device that can be linked to any child’s cell phone and will send mom, dad or anyone else a text or email alert every few minutes giving them the exact location of their adventurous trick-or-treater. “I like being able to keep track of them without having to bother them and nag them,” said Begalke. “If I can designate an area and their phone is keeping track of them, it’s much easier.”
Ashley Bergeron is a registered nurse at Banner Baywood Medical Center in Mesa. She said that you can never take too many precautions when it comes to kids safety, especially on Halloween. “Kids are curious. They might tell you they’re going to one spot and they’re going to be somewhere else,” said Begeron. “I think with this type of technology, that’s what its in place for so we do know where are children are.”
The SecuraFone app will also let children make an emergency call with a quick press of a button. Most safety experts still recommend parents follow their kids on Halloween, but for those older trick or treaters who are too big for mom and dad to tag along the kid tracker app could be just what parents are looking for.
The SecuraFone app is free, but there is also a premium version.
For more information visit www.securafone.com.
