9-1-1 For Kids: More and more children today are left at home alone while their parents work, making it vital that our children understand the purpose and use of 9-1-1. We have created the questions below to assist you in teaching them the proper use of 9-1-1. BuEComm has an in-house public education dispatcher who provides instruction at schools on how to use 9-1-1. If your school or workplace is interested in having an on-site class, please contact us at (Contact Us) and we would be more than happy to assist you in setting this up.
In an emergency, the best thing a child can do is tell someone they trust right away. This might be a parent, a teacher or another adult. If no one is around to help they can call 9-1-1 for help. (please click the link below to review and print important questions to teach your child)
911 for kids.pdf
Where is the emergency?
The most important information a 9-1-1 caller must provide is the location of the emergency. If you don't know the actual street address or if you are outside or on a highway try to identify landmarks, mile markers, exit signs or cross streets. If you are in a large complex with multiple buildings or floors, provide the 9-1-1 call taker with as much information as possible to assist emergency responders in finding the location of the emergency.
Who is calling and who is involved?
The 9-1-1 call taker may request your name. You may wish to remain anonymous but the information is helpful if the emergency responders are unable to locate the emergency upon arrival. The 9-1-1 call taker also needs to know if other parties are involved and if so, may request names, descriptions, or extent of injuries. All of this information is important to ensure that an appropriate emergency response is sent.
What is the emergency?
Be as specific as possible. By providing the 9-1-1 call taker with as much accurate information as possible you will ensure that an appropriate response will be dispatched to assist you. Remember that 9-1-1 is for true emergencies. You should always call 9-1-1 if life or property is in immediate danger. If you aren't sure that the situation is an emergency, err on the side of safety and dial
9-1-1. Let the expert who takes your call determine whether you need to be directed to a non-emergency number.