"Code Adam" - was is properly used?

Question

I was at jcpenny yesterday when a somali lady rushed to the customer service desk for help.She lost her 4yr son just 2 minutes ago in the store.The Customer rep quickly but calmy announced "code adam" describing the boy and his clothes to the general public in the store. And if anyone saw such a boy, to report at the desk. I was shocked and tried hard to listen for any screams and my eyes began to look thru the ailes for the boy. All this happened for about 3, 4 minutes and then i heard them announce that the boy was found and safe. My Q is was the code administered correctly? Why didn't the rep:
1) request to shut all doors/exits of the store immediately.
2) Call for the mall security to shut all doors/exits of the mall and start looking for the boy aggressively!
In those few mins, i was scared to death for the boy and am sure many other ppl were too. Was just announcing a "code adam" in the store sufficient? Or was it just a matter of "color" ? (hate to say this)

Answer 1

Around here a code adam means that the doors are shut and no one can leave or enter until the child is found. Perhaps other sales people in different departments are assigned to do this and it could have been going on without you seeing it as thats a pretty big store. Then as soon as the code adam was called most likely that is what went on, it didnt necessarily mean that the one person you saw was the one that needed to go everywhere and make sure this was done. It seems like they did what they should have including giving the description and where to report to. Another thing that you said happened that was extremely important isthe Calmy Announcing. Something like that going on calm is what is called for not panic. Im just glad that the little boy was found safe and reunited with his mom.

Answer 2

Code Adam Procedure

Answer 3

The store should have some kind of procedure it goes through when a Code Adam is called. I have seen them call a Code Adam at Walmart. They have employees at all the entrances and exits while the rest search the store. I think that when a Code Adam is called it puts things in motion or at least should. I know that at the Walmart I was at they even checked kids that were with their parents to make sure the kid wasn't being kidnapped by an adult.

Answer 4

When Code Adam is called, all of the store employees should already know to do those things. I worked in a place with this procedure and it was called on my shift once. As soon as they called the code the appropriate people stood at the exits and everyone stood outside of their department to watch for the kid until they announced that he was found. They trained us to know what to do so all they had to do was call the code rather than announce a paragraph of things to do. It's much simpler and very effective in most cases.

Answer 5

Kinda of ridiculous if you ask me. 30 years ago if a kid was lost in a store the mom and maybe an employee looked for him. Most kids were smart enough to find an adult if they were lost. Now people want to put the entire mall on lockdown and call the national guard. Just another example of a culture of fear that people like to push on us.