Teach your kids how to use 9-1-1: E-Comm
Posted August 17, 2012 8:45 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – A little girl’s call to 911 earlier this week highlights how important it is for kids to know how to use the emergency phone number.
When the five-year-old from Langford called 9-1-1, she was able to quickly alert an operator that her mother had collapsed in the back yard from a seizure.
Amanda Brkich with E-Comm says children should know how to relay to the dispatcher their name, address, and age. “All they need to do is answer the questions… that our call-takers are trained to ask. We’ll get help there as soon as possible.”
She adds it’s never too early to teach your kids when it’s right to call and how to do it. “Make sure you phone is in the same place in your home at all times so they know where to go if they ever need to use it.”
“We are huge supporters of maintaining a landline in your home, especially if you have children,” she explains, noting a landline gives dispatchers automatic access to your address, whereas a cell phone does not.
She adds you should make sure your kids understand 9-1-1 is only for emergencies.
