Red Roof, a prominent name in the lodging industry, has taken a vital step to enhance child safety by partnering with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC). On AMBER Alert Awareness Day, the hotel chain announced its integration into the AMBER Alert Secondary Distribution Network. According to a press release shared with Travel Noire, this collaboration means that AMBER Alerts will now be sent directly to Red Roof properties through HotelKey, the company’s property management system.
Front desk managers and guest service representatives will receive these alerts, enabling them to act swiftly if a missing child is spotted near their location. This initiative aims to mobilize hotel staff as crucial eyes and ears in the urgent search for abducted children, reinforcing the safety net across more than 700 Red Roof properties nationwide.
Red Roof’s Role In Expanding AMBER Alert Reach
The AMBER Alert program is a voluntary partnership among law enforcement, broadcasters, and transportation agencies that issues urgent bulletins in serious child abduction cases. Red Roof’s integration into this network represents a technology-forward approach to child safety. By delivering alerts directly to front-line hotel staff, the company leverages its widespread presence to increase the likelihood of quickly locating missing children.
Zack Gharib, President of Red Roof, stressed the importance of this role, noting that front desk employees are uniquely positioned to assist in identifying abducted children due to their frequent guest interactions.
“Through Red Roof’s new agreement with NCMEC, AMBER alerts are sent directly to the HotelKey system, and notifications are configured to be seen by front desk managers and front desk guest service representatives — the employees who interact most frequently with guests and can be the best assistance in identifying an abducted child,” said Gharib. “Every child deserves to be safe, and Red Roof will use its resources to assist in the recovery of missing children and to help return them home.”
The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children highlighted that over 300 children involved in AMBER Alerts have been found at hotels or motels, emphasizing the hospitality sector’s critical role in recovery efforts. This partnership strengthens the nationwide AMBER Alert safety net and exemplifies how private companies can contribute to public safety.
Commitment To Combating Human Trafficking
January also marks National Human Trafficking Awareness Month, which aligns closely with the AMBER Alert program’s goals. Red Roof requires all its properties and corporate team members to complete mandatory human trafficking prevention training. The company actively supports the American Hotel & Lodging Association Foundation’s No Room For Trafficking initiative, which focuses on preventing human trafficking and aiding survivors.
Recently, Red Roof team members participated in #WearBlueDay to raise awareness about human trafficking, demonstrating the company’s ongoing commitment to this cause. This dual focus on child abduction and trafficking prevention reflects a broader strategy to educate the public and frontline workers on recognizing and reporting signs of exploitation.
For more information, visit Red Roof’s official website, redroof.com, and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s site, missingkids.org.
