How to Teach Your Child to Call 999 for Assistance

We all agree to the fact that for all parents, safety of their children is the most important thing. Parents want their Children to be safe in all situations, which is why it is important for them to educate them on possible dangers and emergency situations.

One of the biggest challenges of being a parent is teaching your children the skills needed to deal with the problems that life presents. To ensure their safety and wellbeing, it is vital for you to teach them these skills. One of which is teaching them how to call 999 for assistance in case of an emergency.

Safety for Children

If you believe that children are naive, young and too innocent to understand how to call 999 for assistance, you are wrong. Despite their young age, they have a sharp brain much bigger than what you think. So, whatever you teach them at an early age, chances are that they will remember it for a lifetime. There have been many cases were children have called 999 for assistance and saved the day when their mother, father or grandparents was ill or injured. But still, just 1 out of every 3 children is taught how to call 999 for assistance in emergency situations.

Suppose you are at home only with small children around to accompany you, and you suffer a heart attack or any other illness such as epilepsy that requires immediate attention. The only hope for your survival will depend on how your children react in this situation. If your children know how to call 999 for assistance, they will immediately call for help. Therefore, it is important to teach them to call 999 for assistance, so that they can act fast as soon as they realize that the situation calls for help. Along with this, you must also educate your child about other emergency situations such as when they may require help from Guards or Fire Brigade.

How to teach your child to call 999 for assistance in case of an emergency

While you teach your child on how to make a call at 999 for assistance during an emergency, it is extremely important for you to tell them the importance of using this number on in case of emergencies. Tell them what an emergency is like. Talk to them and ask them questions to know how they will respond in the given situations. Role playing is an excellent way of educating your child about emergency situations. This way you can even give them the confidence that they will require to handle critical situations.

Since you know your child the most, you must know the best way to make them learn to call 999 for assistance. Some children learn as they are told again and again as to what they must do, while others learn by watching on television like Fireman Sam or their favorite Super Hero’s that always save the day and then being explained. So, you must choose the method that best suits them. Also, as you teach them, tell them that a fight with their siblings or losing a toy does not mean they dial 999 for assistance.

Teaching them what to say

While it is important for your child to know how to call 999 for assistance, it is equally important for you to teach them what they must speak on the phone. They must be told the importance of giving the right information to the operator.

Make your child learn the important information that they will need to give to the operator in case of an emergency. This information must include their full name, telephone number, and address. You can even write this information on a piece of paper and place it near the telephone. This will enable your child to quickly dial the number and give out the details referring to the paper.

More about the emergency situations

It is important for you to prepare your child mentally for any emergency situations that may occur. Tell them that such situations can occur anytime and that they must be prepared to call 999 in case there are no adults around and they are not sure about what to do.

To give them a better understanding of different emergency situations, talk to them about what the Guards does, what the Firefighters do, the Ambulance do, and the jobs of Doctors and Nurses. Having a better understanding of them all will make them know whom to call depending upon the nature of the emergency.

In case you are suffering from a medical condition, educating your child about your illness and the symptoms they must look for can benefit you greatly. They may be very attached to you, so make sure that you do not scare them. Say things like, “If papa has one of his disorders, shows these signs, or loses consciousness, call a doctor and help me get better.”

Remind your child every now and then that they must not call 999 unnecessarily as a joke because it can create trouble for them. Children can misbehave at times so it is important for parents to guide them correctly.

A few things to remember

Always teach your child to call 999 using the house phone. This can make it easy for the emergency service to track down your location in case your child is not able to speak out the address properly. Also tell them to stay on the call for as long as possible and speak the truth only. Usually, operators tend to stay on call so that the child does not panic, until the rescue teams arrive on the spot.

While it is great to ensure that your child knows when and how to contact 999 for assistance in case of an emergency, it is also a good idea to make sure that they have adults around whom they can turn to for help. For example, you can ask your neighbours to keep an eye on your children when you are not around, and even telling your children that they must immediately contact the neighbours in case of an emergency.

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