ALEXANDRIA, VA. (August 16, 2012)—As the largest volunteer child advocacy association in the nation, National PTA is committed to developing programs and partnerships that benefit children and bring valuable resources to its members. As part of this commitment, National PTA announced today that eTrak, Powered by Verizon, is now a National PTA Member Benefits Provider. eTrak is a safety product that allows parents to know the whereabouts of their children and receive an instant message if they wander “off track” or need help. Utilizing eTrak’s patented GPS+ technology, parents can instantly see their child’s exact location on a map from a smartphone or any computer.

For a limited time only, PTA members can order the eTrak device for free (regularly $99) at https://etrak.com/pta.  There is an activation charge of $39 and a monthly fee of $15. eTrak will also donate $6 to a member’s local PTA unit and $2 to both the member’s state PTA and National PTA for every subscription order they receive.

“Child safety has always been a top priority for National PTA and we pride ourselves on providing parents with supportive tools and resources. We are pleased to provide our members with this unique opportunity to obtain a technologically advanced tool at a great discount to help them keep their children safe,” said National PTA President Betsy Landers.

About the size of a domino, and lightweight—less than an ounce—eTrak can fit almost anywhere: pockets, backpacks, purses, glove compartment, on a belt or keyring, or worn as a pendant. 

Parents can “ping” eTrak anytime they want to see where their child is, or eTrak can provide updates without a specific request. eTrak contains an exclusive “Safety Circle” feature. The Safety Circle is a very simple feature that allows parents to type in an address and set up a specified distance around where they expect their child to be, whether at home, school, or activities. When the child goes beyond that Safety Circle, eTrak will send emails and texts to parents and two other people that the child has gone beyond the circle. eTrak will also send a map with the child’s exact location, and turn-by-turn directions to get there. If the child moves, eTrak will keep updating the user on the child’s location. Parents will always know their child’s location.

eTrak also contains a ‘Panic Button’ used to send emergency requests for help. If a child is in danger, lost, or has an accident, the child simply presses the Panic Button and eTrak sends an instant text and email to parents and two others with the message, “Emergency, send help to this location.” The person(s) receiving the alert will receive a map with the location of the emergency.

GPS-only products rely on satellite systems to provide the location or position of the device. The problem is, when the device is indoors, or not in a clear line of sight to the sky, it doesn’t work. eTrak’s patented technology utilizes the wireless access system across the United States to accurately provide a precise location, both indoors and outdoors. The system triangulates the position of the device using WiFi, cell towers, and GPS, thus the patented GPS+ system.

eTrak CEO, John Harris, has spent a lifetime developing products that change people’s lives. A former Senior VP at Mitsubishi Electronics, Executive VP at Uniden, President of Miracle Systems, Inc. and CEO of RangeStar Wireless, John built the world’s largest RF Engineering firm with Dell and Intel as partners. His track record in electronic technology and engineering has led to numerous patents. But, John is most proud of eTrak, “Helping to ensure the safety of children and our most vulnerable populations was my primary motivation in developing this technology – I’m proud to partner with PTA to make this cutting-edge safety tool easily accessible to parents.”

Parents can learn more about how to take advantage of this limited offer at https://etrak.com/pta.

About National PTA

National PTA® comprises millions of families, students, teachers, administrators, and business and community leaders devoted to the educational success of children and the promotion of parent involvement in schools. PTA is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit association that prides itself on being a powerful voice for all children, a relevant resource for families and communities, and a strong advocate for public education. Membership in PTA is open to anyone who wants to be involved and make a difference for the education, health, and welfare of children and youth.