Teach
your kids about 9-1-1
It
is important that parents educate their children in the use of the
telephone, particularly 9-1-1, at an early age. They need to
understand that the telephone is not a toy, but also that it is okay
to call 9-1-1
for help when they need police, fire or medical help. If you are
teaching your children about 9-1-1, we suggest that you consider the
following:
-
First, it is important that your child be taught
their address and telephone number.
-
Secondly, make sure your child can physically
reach at least one telephone. Wall mounted telephones can be
unreachable for really small children.
-
Discuss with your child any situations that may
be unique to them. This could include an elderly live-in relative;
younger sibling; or any other unique factor that the child might
encounter.
-
The 911 service is for emergencies. It is
important to teach your child not to play with or misuse 9-1-1
If
you would like to arrange to have your child call 9-1-1 for real, as
part of your training program, please call our dispatch center at
785-325-2293 and let the dispatcher know you are training your
child about 9-1-1. Ask the dispatcher if they have time to handle a 9-1-1 test call from your child before you place that 9-1-1
call.
When your child calls 9-1-1, they should also know what information
will be expected from them. You should teach them to:
-
Tell the operator what the emergency is.
-
Give their full address, phone number and name.
-
Stay on the line with the 911 operator until
they are told to hang up.
When calling 9-1-1,
remember that emergency medical, fire or police personnel are being
sent to you even though you are still talking to the operator. That
is why sometimes it sounds like there is no one on the other end of
the line. They can still hear you, but they are talking on another
line or on a radio to get help to you.
Teach your kids the difference when using a cellular phone
DISPATCHERS DO
NOT KNOW WHERE YOU ARE!!!
Your
call will hit the nearest cell tower, not always in the county you
are calling from, and that
tower could be miles from where you are. -
Know where you
are: an address, intersection or highway mile marker.
-
Know your phone
number! If emergency personnel cannot find your location, we can
call you back for more information.
-
Poor
Connections or weak signals!! Very frustrating for everyone!! We
may not be able to hear you, move to a better location and call
again.
Numerous
tragedies have occurred as Cell phone owners have the expectation
that when they dial 911, like they do at their house, that they'll
be able to be found. Tragic examples can be found at
www.nena.org/Wireless911/Tragedies
Last October, the
federal government set a mandate for cell phone companies to find a
solution. Each cellular company has an individual timetable for
getting the job done. Contact your cellular company for further
information. |
Address:
301 B Street
Washington, KS 66968
Phone:
785-325-2293
Fax:
785-325-2924
|
