ATF to Build Beeping Eggs for Visually Impaired Children

TAMPA – The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Tampa Field Division will hold a press briefing and photo opportunity on Tuesday, March 28, 2017, at 10:00 a.m., during the building of beeping Easter eggs by law enforcement officers. This ATF event will bring bomb technicians from different law enforcement departments together who will build beeping Easter eggs for visually impaired children.

The eggs will be used during the 11th Annual Beeping Easter Egg Hunt, which will take place April 15, 2017, in Tavares. Fla. This annual event allows these children the opportunity to participate in a holiday tradition that is not often accessible to them because of their visual impairment.

The eggs that law enforcement officers will be building on March 28th are designed to look and feel like regular Easter eggs but, in addition to the usual bright colors, these eggs beep very loudly when activated by a switch. With the additional of an audible element, visually impaired children are able to locate these eggs without the sense of sight. An ATF special agent started this annual tradition eleven years ago after learning his then 4-month-old daughter was blind. Teachers throughout the U.S. also use the beeping Easter eggs to teach location skills and search patterns to visually impaired children.

ATF will offer the media a chance to see the building of the eggs by law enforcement and will address any questions related to the event. Specific information about the event includes:

    Who:      ATF explosives enforcement personnel and law enforcement partners

    What:     Press briefing and photo opportunity of law enforcement officers building beeping Easter eggs for visually impaired children

    When:    Tuesday, March 28, 2017, 10:00 a.m.

    Where:   Tampa Police Department : 2611 North 12th Street, Tampa, FL 33605

The 11th Annual Beeping Easter Egg Hunt will be held a few weeks later on April 15, 2017, at 11:00 a.m., in Tavares, Fla.