Concerned parents may believe that a "Tot Finder" sticker in their child's window could make all the difference in a fire emergency, but North Metro Fire Rescue is advising citizens against this product and others like it.

"Every couple of months we receive a phone call from a citizen wanting to know where they can get a child-alert sticker," said Wendy Forbes, Public Information Officer for North Metro Fire Rescue. "However what these well-meaning parents don't realize is that these types of stickers not only build a false sense of security for the family but could also attract the wrong type of people to your child's room."

At the time of a fire, firefighters' top priority is to quickly locate anyone trapped inside a burning building. The first action is to verify with a family member or neighbor that all occupants of the building are outside and safe. If occupants of the building are missing or inside, fire personnel initiate rescue efforts immediately.

Yet, in order to help promote the use of these stickers, manufacturers advise consumers that firefighters will look on house windows for these stickers during a fire. "Iffirefighters were to use this system, critical time would likely be lost looking for marked windows, said Forbes, "And, many times these marked windows would not assure that anyone is in the room-posing a risk to firefighters or delaying a rescue effort for victims located in different areas of the structure."

Some additional problems that many fire departments have discovered with the "Tot Finder" or child-alert sticker programs are:

· Families move from a home and do not remove the stickers.

· Children grow up and move out of the house.

· Children change rooms.

· A false sense of security is built-the stickers imply it is better for the child to wait to be saved, even when they can and should escape immediately on their own.

· It can send a signal to persons with harmful intentions about an easy entrance to your home or where your child sleeps.

"The bottom line for North Metro firefighters is that these stickers are an unreliable source of information during an emergency situation where time is essential," said Forbes. "If you move into a house and inherit these stickers on your windows or if you have applied them to any windows, you may want to consider removing them."

North Metro Fire Rescue is dedicated to your quality care. North Metro Fire Rescue provides fire protection, emergency medical services, hazardous materials response and rescue services to their community. Formed in 1946, the district now covers 115 square miles with a population of approximately 90,000 people including the City and County of Broomfield, the City of Northglenn and unincorporated areas of Boulder, Adams and Jefferson Counties.