Should we teach your child to use the emergency number?

Hello! How are you? Today we are going to talk about something very, very important. That is, teaching our little ones how to ask for help in an emergency, especially how to properly use the Sri Lankan emergency number 119. Just think, if you are not at home, or if you yourself are in an emergency, if your child knows exactly what to do at that time without panicking, how great a strength it is, right?

Why should we teach children about 119?

Look at this, it is essential for all of us to know how to call 119 in an emergency. But we need to teach our young children what this " emergency " means in a simple way, in a way that they can understand. Just imagine, when you are talking freely with your child, you can ask small questions like this: "My dear son/daughter, imagine if there was a fire in our house all of a sudden?" Or, "What would you do if someone tried to break into our house like a thief?" Then you will have a good opportunity to talk to your child about what emergencies are and what to do in such a situation without panicking.

Another thing is, especially for young children , it is very good to talk about who comes to our aid in times of emergency. That is, about people like police officers, firemen, paramedics, our doctors, nurses. It would be valuable if we could explain how they help people in trouble and what their job is, very simply, like a short story.

At what time should you call 119?

This is the most important thing. We need to teach children clearly, in a way that goes straight to their heads, that they should call 119. An "emergency" is when someone is seriously injured, or in a sudden, major accident, and they need help immediately, that is, without delaying a second . Now, look, for example, here are some situations where you should call 119:

• If a fire breaks out in a house, a shop, or anywhere else...
• If a person falls unconscious and cannot speak, after an accident on the road, or after taking too much alcohol, drugs, or overdosing on prescription medication at home,
• If someone suddenly has difficulty breathing, for example, it could be an asthma flare-up or a seizure .
• If someone gets stuck in their throat while eating or playing and can't breathe, they feel dizzy.
• If they see a crime happening, whether on the road or at home, with both eyes . For example, thieves breaking into houses, snatching something like someone's necklace and running away (a robbery).
• If you see a serious car accident and people are injured.

Because children are young, they may be scared and very nervous if they actually have to call 119. That's normal. Tell them, "Son/daughter, don't be scared. The emergency operators who answer the 119 phone call talk to many scared and nervous children like you every day. So they will understand you. Just keep your composure and calmly explain the situation ."

What do you hear when you call 119?

It is very important to explain this to your children. We usually do not give out our personal details – name, village, phone number, etc. – to strangers. That is right. However, when you call 119, there is no problem in answering the questions asked by the operator there truthfully. Tell your child that they can trust him completely . Because they are there to help us.

The emergency service operator will definitely ask them a few questions. These questions are things like 'What's the emergency?', 'Where is this happening?', 'Who needs help?'. Simply put, these are the questions they ask:

• " What is the emergency? " or " Can you explain a little bit about what happened? "
• " Where are you now? " or " Where is your house? Can you tell me the name of the village, the name of the street, and the house number? "
• " Who needs help? " or " Who is with you now? "

Teach your child to tell the officer as clearly as possible about what the emergency is and how it happened, with as many details as possible . If the child is old enough to understand, that is, older than 7-8 years, explain that the operator may be able to give simple instructions on how to give first aid to an injured person before the emergency services (such as an ambulance or police) arrive. Also, tell him to leave the phone on hold.

More things to know about 119

These are some things you should really instill in your children:

• Calling 119 for fun or as a joke can be a crime in Sri Lanka. Also, every call made for fun or as a joke delays the help of someone who is actually asking for help to save their life. Therefore, emphasize to your child that they should never call 119, even as a joke . Encourage them to tell their friends about this as well.
• Before calling 119, you need to take a second to think about whether the child is in a safe place . For example, as I said before, if there is a fire in the house, they need to know that they need to get out of the house and get to a safe place quickly before calling 119. Only then should you make the call.
• Nowadays, there are many call tracing technologies that can help you find out where the call is coming from when you make an emergency call, such as 119, but it is not always possible to assume that it will work perfectly. Therefore, it is very important for your child to memorize your full home address (name, house number, street name, village/city), your home phone number (if you have one), or your or your other parent's phone number . If not, write it on a small card and put it in your child's school bag or somewhere they can easily remember and see it often.

A few more safety tips

Here are some other important safety tips to remember for you and your family:

• When teaching about emergency numbers, for example, you may have heard some people in foreign countries say the number 911. When saying it, they teach that the digits should be said separately as 'nine-one-one', not together as 'nine-eleven'. Because in an emergency, if a child is nervous and tries to find the '11' button on the phone, he may dial the wrong number. Since our emergency number in Sri Lanka is 119, teach him to say the three digits separately as 'one-one-nine' (1-1-9) when dialing it. If you say 'one hundred and nineteen', it may be difficult for a small child to dial it on the phone, and the digits may change in his excitement.
• Post your house number in a prominent place, in large letters, so it is clearly visible from the street . If possible, put a light on it so that it is visible at night. This will help police, firefighters, and ambulance personnel find your house easily and quickly.
• If you live in an apartment building, make sure your child knows exactly what floor they are on and what their apartment number is . These details should also be provided in case of an emergency.
• Keep a list of important phone numbers to call in an emergency (e.g. your work number, your spouse's number, a close relative's number, your family doctor's number, a nearby neighbor's number) near every phone in the house, where it is easily visible to the children and to the babysitter/caregiver when you are away.
• Every home should have a first-aid kit . Make sure your children, other family members, and the babysitter know where it is. Take the time to teach them how to use the items in it. When your children are a little older, teach them basic first aid techniques . Things like how to apply medicine to a small wound and how to stop bleeding.

The most important thing to remember!

The safety of our children is the most valuable thing we have in this world. Isn't it? Therefore, it is your great responsibility as a mother or father to teach them how to call 119 in an emergency without panicking, at what time to call, and what to say when you call, in a loving, calm, and understandable way. It may not be enough to teach this once. Frequent reminders, asking small questions, and perhaps even role-playing will help them get these important points into their heads.

Remember, the knowledge you give your child could one day help save not only their life, but also someone else's! That's the most valuable gift you can give them.

Good day to you!

` Emergency calls, 119, child safety, Sri Lanka Emergency Services, first aid, emergencies, parental advice