Firefighter Antenna Ball – A Rising Star Helping to Save Lives!

Cumming, GA, February 2007 — A new star on the horizon these days, a little, round yellow antenna topper named “Happy Fireman,” has teamed up with television’s “Home Improvement” Richard Karn and “CHiPS” (California Highway Patrol) Erik Estrada to help save lives.

Nationwide, nearly 16,000 collisions take place every year because a growing number of drivers fail to pull to the right when emergency vehicles are using their lights and sirens to respond to emergency calls.

“Happy Fireman” and Erik Estrada are working together in campaign “Operation Right Move” by the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) and the California Office of Traffic Safety. This campaign focuses on educating motorists when they hear sirens or air horns on the importance of yielding to emergency vehicles such as ambulances, fire trucks and police cars responding to emergency incidents. The campaign features eight simple Do’s and Don’ts to help motorists learn how and when they can help save lives by “pulling to the right.” For example, many motorists do not realize you should simply stop your vehicle where you are if you cannot pull to the right and stop; you should not shoot through an intersection or a red light to try to get out of an emergency vehicle’s way.

YOU CAN’T PREDICT…BUT YOU CAN PREPARE!

Campaign “You Can Prepare,” also from the LAFD with the Allstate Foundation and Universal Studios, teams “Happy Fireman” with Richard Karn to remind the public about emergency preparedness for disasters like earthquakes, fires, tsunamis, floods and mudslides. The campaign reminds us of the many lives lost, homes destroyed and people displaced by these disasters. It also provides a preparedness checklist that families and businesses can prepare before disaster strikes.

The veteran actors in both campaigns get help from “Happy Fireman” to make their points. A public service announcement (PSA) with “Happy Fireman” and Erik Estrada about yielding to emergency vehicles can be viewed online at lafd.org/rightmove/index.html. A PSA with “Happy Fireman” and Richard Karn can be viewed at lafd.org/youcanprepare.pdf.

“Happy Fireman” is one of over 500 antenna balls, including other emergency personnel toppers, sold by HappyBalls.com, a seven-year old Internet company that has grown to become one of the Internet’s largest online retailers of antenna balls and toppers, reports HappyBalls founder Jeremy Turner. New designs are added monthly, custom designed balls can be ordered, and discounts and monthly specials are available to its newsletter subscribers at HappyBalls.com.

“We knew our antenna balls were making people happy and helping them find their vehicles in crowded parking lots and garages,” says Turner, “but we were ecstatic to realize that they could help save lives, too!"

HappyBalls.com can also be contacted by telephone or fax, toll-free, at 1-888-HAPPY-67 (1-888-427-7967) and by e-mail at mail@happyballs.com. Its international telephone number is 1-678-513-0907; international fax is 1-206-350-0602. Its offices are located at 4045 John Allyson Drive, Cumming, GA 30040 and are open 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday to Friday. Messages will be responded to within 24 hours.
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