PLAQUEMINE, La. (BRPROUD) — The Iberville Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office distributed child identification kits to students from kindergarten to fifth grade in case of an emergency.
Stacy Blanchard, the director of MSA West Academy in Plaquemine, says as a parent it’s great to have a reliable resource for students.
“This was just an added bonus, knowing that if something was to ever happen we have this kit,” Blanchard said.
A kit includes a form that asks for a physical description, a DNA swab and a fingerprint.
The National Child Identification Program says if there is an emergency, scanning a child’s fingerprints into a national database could help find the child.
Iberville Sheriff Brett Stassi emphasized how completing the form before an emergency saves time and lives.
“Students in grades kindergarten through fifth grade will be receiving those from our sheriff’s department. We are excited that it spread throughout the entire parish,” MSA West Academy Superintendent Arthur Joffrion said.
Joffrion said other students in K-5 within the parish will also receive this kit.