Welcome to CPSC’s podcast for Friday, March 14th, 2008. I’m Patty Davis.

This week, CPSC held a press conference in New York City to urge parents and caregivers to sign up for our free e-mail alerts and to urge community leaders to sign up for the Neighborhood Safety Network, also known as NSN. By signing up, you receive lifesaving information from CPSC.

Joining me is CPSC’s Arlene Flecha who organized the event. Arlene, tell us more about it.

[Arlene]: We had a very successful event at the Bronx Library Center. (CPSC) Acting Chairman Nord was joined by Congressman Serrano (D-New York), and the Chief Librarian Michael Alvarez. It was very exciting to be at the Bronx Library Center, because this library is a state of the art environment that serves over 3,700 users each day, and the community is a very diverse community so we were able to also provide the information that we have in Spanish for the users.

[Patty]: So far more than 250,000 consumers have signed up for email alerts from CPSC. How do the email alerts work? And what information do consumers receive?

[Arlene]: Consumers that sign up for the, to receive these alerts will get all the alerts that CPSC issues on a daily basis immediately in their email account. The information includes all our recalls of dangerous products and also information and education campaigns on prevention.

[Patty]: How do you sign up?

[Arlene]: It’s very easy and it’s very fast. And more importantly it’s free. You just have to give us your email address and your zip code and you’re signed up.

[Patty]: What if you don’t have a computer at home?

[Arlene]: That’s a great point. If you don’t have a computer, we strongly encourage you to use your library, your local library. Many of them have computer terminals and they would be more than happy to have you sign up at their terminals.

[Patty]: Now at the event, CPSC announced that the New York Public Library system has signed up for the Neighborhood Safety Network. What is NSN and what will the library’s involvement mean for consumers?

[Arlene]: This is great. This is a big step for the NSN. This program has already over 5,000 members, and it’s comprised of grassroots organizations that can deliver the safety message to their constituents who might not get it otherwise.

[Patty]: Thanks Arlene.

Visit our Web site, www.cpsc.gov, to sign up to receive CPSC’s recall announcements directly to your email inbox. Of if you’re an organization or business, join our Neighborhood Safety Network and help save lives.

That’s it for this week’s CPSC podcast. Thanks for listening.

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