State Fire Marshal Andy Neumann said having emergency numbers on hand is an essential to ensuring all of your family members are prepared.

“Make sure your family knows emergency phone numbers. Most importantly, make sure your kids, including young ones, know how to place a call for help,” Neumann said. “During an emergency, it is easy to become disoriented or upset, so you need to have all important telephone numbers readily available ahead of time.”

Neumann noted it is very important that children can dial 911 and they understand that it should be called for emergencies – and nothing else. Neumann added,  “They should understand that if the emergency is a fire in their home, they should get out immediately and dial 911 from a neighbor’s house – never go back inside where the fire is to dial 911.”

Even very young children can be taught how to place an emergency call for help. Teach your child what he or she will need to know to place a call to 911 and talk to the operator:

·         how to dial 911 (or the emergency number in your community)

·         his or her full name

·         his or her full address

·         a short description of the emergency

Have your child practice by speaking into an unplugged telephone. Suggest a situation, such as "Mommy's fallen down the stairs and can't get to the telephone. Now what do you do?"

After your child dials the number, prompt him or her with questions that an emergency operator would ask, such as "What is your name?" "Where are you calling from?" and "What is the emergency?" Stress that the description should be short ("Mommy fell down the stairs") and that he or she should try to stay calm. Practice until your child feels comfortable.

Finally, teach the child to get out of the house immediately if there is a fire and go to the designated family meeting place so everyone can be accounted for that was in the house.

“No one wants to think about an emergency happening at home, but it's better to face that possibility than to be caught unprepared,” said Neumann. “So keep emergency numbers close by - it's a small step that could have big consequences.”

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