One of the challenges of being a parent is arming your children with the skills to handle the obstacles life presents. Teaching them how to use 911 in an emergency could be one of the simplest - and most important - lessons you will ever share.
Talking About 911 with Children
Not that long ago, there was a separate telephone number for each type of emergency agency. For a fire, you called the fire department; for a crime, you called the police; for a medical situation, you called an ambulance or doctor.
Today 911 is a central number for all types of emergencies. An emergency dispatch operator quickly takes information from the caller and puts the caller in direct contact with whatever emergency personnel are needed - making response time quicker.
Everyone needs to know about calling 911 in an emergency. But children also need to know the specifics about what an emergency is. Asking them questions like, "What would you do if we had
a
fire
in
our house?" or "What would you do if you saw someone trying to break in?" gives you a chance to discuss what constitutes an emergency and what to do if one occurs. Role playing is an especially good way to address various emergency scenarios and give your children the confidence they will need to handle them.
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