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Do Your Kids Really Know How to Call 911? 5 Ways to Make Sure They Do by Kimberly Johnson

Safety

2 years ago

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Do Your Kids Really Know How to Call 911? 5 Ways to Make Sure They Do

As soon as my kids could speak they could tell you to call 911 if there was an emergency. This week I was inspired to do a trial run to see if they really know what to do.

My 9-year-old was set – she knows how to use my phone and knew what info to relay. My 7-year-old, when put on the spot, couldn't clearly communicate our address without prompting. Here are some tips to help teach your kids to use 911:

Teach your child how to access the "emergency" shortcut on your cell phone, especially if you don't have a landline or have a passcode they don't know.
Post a cheat sheet with your address and other important information.
Remind them that whoever answers the call is there to help and not to hang up.
Teach them to be aware of their surroundings in the event of emergencies outside of the home.
Remind them 911 should ONLY be called during an emergency.

It's never too young to start!

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Donna John

Such important information, Kimberly Johnson ! Thanks for sharing!

Like Reply 2 6 years ago

Katie Sloan

Now I need to test my 7 year old! I don't know if he could do it or not.

I was actually surprised because generally Ryan knows our address, but "under pressure" he jumbled the numbers (first 2 numbers of our house number, then over to my cell phone number and ultimately adding our zip code in the mix) and named our neighborhood vs. our road name (until I prompted). You'll have to let me know how A does! :)

Like Reply 1 6 years ago

Elisa Schmitz

Awesome awesome idea, Kimberly Johnson ! Thanks for the helpful tips!

Laura Greenwald

Thanks Kimberly. This is such a vital thing for kids to learn, but as you said in your comment, if they're under pressure to do it in an emergency, might mix things up. As with everything, practice makes perfect!

Renee

I'm so glad you wrote this tip Kimberly Johnson! I recently discovered several of my 5th grade students had no idea what to say if they ever actually had to call 911. I think parents need to remember that just because a child might be a little older does not mean they know what to do in an emergency situation.

Ann Marie Patitucci

Thanks, Kimberly Johnson ! I need to test my boys!

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