Oklahoma State Fair Providing Wristbands To Reunite Lost Children With Families

The Oklahoma State Fair is reminding parents to use Project Reunite wristbands to help find their children if they get lost.

Oklahoma City Police said as of Monday afternoon, at least 11 children had been separated from their families since the fair opened on Thursday. All were reunited with their loved ones. 

To help lost children find their families, Oklahoma State Fair is providing free Project Reunite wristbands at any of its four "InFairmation" booths scattered throughout the fairgrounds. Parents can write down their phone numbers and their children's names on the wristbands, then have their children wear the wristbands to make reunions easier should the kids wander off.

"If somebody does get lost out here, they just have to go up to an officer and say, 'I'm lost. Can you please help me?' A lot of people, you can stop on the golf cart, walking around in any of the lifeguard chairs or whatever," said Scott Munz, the fair's spokesperson.

Police will bring any lost children to the Safety Center, located next to the State Fair Administration Building on General Pershing Boulevard.

The Oklahoma City Police Department is also advising families to have current photos of their children to share with officers and have a designated meeting area should their little ones get separated. In addition, police said parents should teach their children to trust the officers, firefighters and other first responders who patrol the fairgrounds.

Keeping a close eye on their three children were Brandon and Jennifer Dixon. On Monday, they brought their 5-year-old, 4-year-old and 1-year-old to the state fair.

"We have the bright-colored shirts on so we can easily tell them apart," said Jennifer Dixon.

To help prevent their children from wandering off, the Dixons brought a large stroller that had room for all three kids. The family also taught the children to hold each other's hands. 

"(The older children) will force (the youngest) to hold their hands," Jennifer Dixon said.

"The big one is, like, 'If mommy and daddy can't see you, if we can't see you, you can't see us.' So know where we're at, where they're at," Brandon Dixon added.