How well you respond to emergency situations whether a house fire or a heart attack depends upon how well you’ve practiced your response. That’s why it’s so important to practice your first aid and CPR skills as an adult and as a kid, you need to practice knowing how to call 9-1-1. Use this simple steps to help you teach your kids this life-saving skill:
- When: call 9-1-1 to save a life, stop a crime, or report a fire. It’s for emergency use only, when prompt assistance from fire, police, or an ambulance is needed.
- How: dial 9-1-1. Then be prepared to answer the following questions:
- Do you need Police, Fire, or Medical Help?
- State the emergency
- What happened?
- Where is the location?
- Where are you calling from?
- What is your name?
- What is your phone number?
- Stay on the line until the dispatcher says you can hang up.
- Note: if you dial 9-1-1 by accident, stay on the line and tell them you dialed by accident. Don’t just hang up.
- Non-emergency lines: Keep a list of non-emergency numbers to the fire and police departments next to your phone just in case. Use this number for non-emergencies, such as reporting a crime that happened overnight or yesterday, or giving more information to an open case.
Now that you’ve taught your family these important steps, run a mock drill with them. Role play a call to the 9-1-1 dispatcher where you are the dispatcher and your kids are the ones explaining the situation. A little practice goes a long way.
What fun and effective way have you designed to teach your kids how to call 9-1-1?
