Teaching a child to use 9-1-1

Parents can use the following safety tips to teach their children the proper way to use 9-1-1 to report emergencies:

• Never say "nine eleven." There is no eleven on a telephone keypad or dial. Always say "nine-one-one."
  
• Always call from a safe place. If there is a fire in the house, get out first and then call.
  
• Post your address near the phone. Be ready to give your name, address and telephone number.
• Tell the person who answers what is wrong. Follow their instructions and don't hang up unless they tell you to.
  
• Never call 9-1-1 as a prank or joke. You can get into trouble and keep someone who really needs help from getting it on time.
  
• 9-1-1 is not for animal emergencies.
• Call 9-1-1 if you see a fire, accident, when someone is very sick or hurt, if you see a crime.
  
• Call 9-1-1 if you think you have an emergency and explain the situation to the dispatcher.
  
• If you call 9-1-1 by mistake, don't hang up. Explain the mistake to the dispatcher and say there is not emergency.
• Tell your child that it is ok to call 9-1-1 if they are lost, and that they can use a payphone and that they don't need money to call 9-1-1.

Telephone Tree

The purpose of a telephone tree.
By using a telephone tree, the job of spreading important information can be done much more efficiently, and effectively.
It is a list of the names and phone numbers in our neighborhood watch area.

• So that each of the participants can be called quickly to be alerted of potential problems.
• Such as a suspicious person or activity in the neighborhood.
• Can be used to notify about upcoming activities, a new neighbor, announcement of a party, or that someone needs help with something.
• To minimize rumors by passing accurate up to date information.
• All phone tree messages should be written down, specific, clear and concise. The message should contain who, what, when, where, and why.