We’ve all heard the stories on the news – the young child who was smart enough to call 911 and save his or her parent or themselves. We always marvel at how smart these kids are. But how do our own kids measure up? Would your 6-year-old know what to do in case of an emergency? Would they even know what an actual emergency is?

Children Emergency Training

It’s never too soon to start talking to your child about what to do in an emergency. The first step, however, is to be sure they understand, in basic language, the various emergencies that could occur and the appropriate times to call 911. They need to realize that a lost dog or a scraped knee is not the right time. Here are the first steps you should take to prepare your kids to handle an emergency:

• As early as possible, teach them their address and phone number. Even though first responders from 911 can trace the call it’s much faster if they’re informed.

• Teach your kids how to dial 911 and explain they should never call unless it’s serious. If you don’t have one, you should consider installing a home monitoring system in your home which will immediately send an alert to the fire department if there’s a fire or smoke. Kids can also be taught to push the medical or police emergency button as well which will alleviate the need to call 911.

• If there is indeed an emergency, let your kids know that it’s important to stay as calm as possible when they speak with the 911 operator and to not hang up the phone until help arrives.

• Explain to kids that if a grown-up has fallen and is “not waking up” they should call 911 but never try to move the person as this could cause more harm.

• For an older child, if they are being left home alone, be sure they understand that if there’s a fire they should go to the neighbor’s house to call 911 and evacuate as soon as possible.

• Be sure that the number of your house is posted prominently so emergency responders can see it immediately.

*Content expressed in Home Security Source does not represent the thoughts and opinions of ADT Security Services, Inc. unless explicitly indicated.