Teaching Kids What to Do During Emergencies

1. Start by explaining to your child that he or he might need to make an important call someday.

2. Teach your child how to dial 911 or another emergency number located in your area. Show your child where the number can be found next to the phone.

3. Make sure your child knows his or her full name and complete address.

4. Brief your child what will happen when a call is made. Explain that a person will ask questions about the emergency and that he or she should remain calm and answer as best as he or she can.

5. Practice making emergency calls. Using an unplugged phone, have your child dial the correct number and say his or her full name and address into the receiver.

6. Suggest hypothetical situations to practice. For example, you might say, "What if I fell down and couldn't get up? What would you do? The coach your child on the correct response.

7. Emphasize that emergency numbers should only be dialed in emergencies-never for fun .