09/18/2025
This one hits home with me BIG TIME! As a father of five, I've experience the feeling of panic when you lose sight of your child in a public place or a large event, even if it's for 30 seconds, your mind races out of control with the "what if". What if she's gone? where could she be!?!? She was just right here next to me... this can't be happening! WHERE IS MY BABY!?!?!?! It may be one of the most helpless and vulnerable feelings a parent can have.
In the past 30 plus years I've been involved in events large and small and I've seen so many of these "LOST CHILD ALERTS" and I've also seen first hand the power of the P.A. system! If you didn't know this about me, I've spent the past 30 plus years behind the microphone at events throughout the summer as the P.A. Announcer for motorsports events at County Fairs and private venues and also emceeing 5k's and other outdoor (and some indoor) community events.
Ladies and gentlemen, Ladies and gentlemen can I have your immediate attention please!? I have a very important and urgent message. Ladies and gentleman, I have an urgent message! We have a lost child. I repeat, we have a lost child! We are looking for Samantha, she is 8 years old, has brown hair, brown eyes and is wearing a light purple shirt, red shorts and has on red cowgirl boots. She was with her parents right next to the corndog stand and has wondered off. Please, if you see Samantha contact the nearest police officer or bring her to the announcers tower. Within minutes... yelling and hollering... we have her! we have her! She was over feeding the miniature donkeys some of her corndog! And when she is re-united with her parents there is a flood of emotions and crying and relief... and did I mention a flood of emotions?
It still blows my mind every time, how quickly you can communicate with such a large audience and how fast you can get results. Seriously, a customized message to hundreds, if not thousands of people in just seconds. And it works!
If your company or organization puts on an event (or events), please review your procedures on how or if you can communicate with the attendees before your in a situation that requires immediate action and you have no voice. If you need some guidance on a good P.A. system or some pointers on how to craft your announcements to captivate your audience, hit me up. There is just something about the Power of the P.A.!
Have you seen the mobile P.A. trailer from Sound Hero? Take a peak at www.soundhero.com
