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.

Arrange for your Child to Call 911
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 989-345-9911 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.

Cellular Phones
Teach your kids the difference when using a cellular phone
•DISPATCHERS DO NOT ALWAYS 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 is very frustrating for everyone. We may not be able
to hear you, move to a better location and call again.