Explaining the emergency call to children and practising the emergency call with children is part of fire safety education. We take today's European 112 Day as an opportunity to give you tips on how to explain the emergency call to children.
Explaining emergency calls to children at an early stage
Children should learn how to make an emergency call at an early age. This is important in case something happens at home or on the road. In an emergency, every emergency call can save lives. Children as young as kindergarten age are able to make an emergency call, provided that they talk about it in advance and practise the emergency call with children.
Facts about the emergency call 112
To explain the emergency call to children, you should first inform yourself and then talk to the children. Here are a few facts about 112.
- Emergency call alerts the fire brigade and/or rescue services/emergency doctor.
- Telephone number 112 can be used in all EU countries.
- Emergency call is available 24/7 and automatically forwards the call to the local control centre.
- Emergency call is free of charge from landlines and mobile phones.
- Reasons for making an emergency call: traffic accident with injured person, fire, person in severe pain, shortness of breath or if a person is unresponsive.
The 5 W-questions are asked during the emergency call:
- WHERE did it happen?
- WHO calls?
- WHAT happened?
- HOW MANY injured/affected?
- WAITING for enquiries! Help is on the way.
Feel free to use our children's emergency card to practise making an emergency call with your child. Hang the emergency card at child height near your phone. Download children's emergency card (pdf).
Practice emergency call with children
To help children understand what the emergency call is and what it is used for, role plays are suitable. For example, a traffic accident could be re-enacted with toy cars or a person at home keels over and is no longer responsive. Of course, these role plays are not meant to scare people, but to show in a playful way how important and correct it is to make an emergency call and what is discussed on the phone with the control centre.
Mnemonic devices are also a great way to explain the emergency call to children. The arithmetic problem 1 + 1 = 2 would be such a mnemonic. By the way, it's no coincidence that the European Day of 112 takes place every year on 11 February (11.2)!
Even if the child may not remember 112 in an emergency or have a phone nearby, any child can get an adult to help make the emergency call. Ways to attract attention or where to go from home to find other adults should also be practised.
Information on the emergency call 112
Who can I reach on 112?
112 is used to reach the local control centre, which alerts the fire brigade as well as the ambulance and emergency doctor, depending on the case. The police can still be reached via 110.
When should 112 be called?
When there is an emergency. For example, a traffic accident, a fire, a person in severe pain or shortness of breath or no longer conscious.
Does calling 112 cost anything?
No! Even if you have no credit on your smartphone, 112 can be called without a prefix. It can be reached from landlines and mobile phones.
What do you do abroad?
If you are on holiday in the EU, you can use the emergency number 112 in all 27 countries of the European Union. In some cases, you can also use it in other countries, such as Switzerland, Ukraine, Great Britain and others. 112 has no prefix and is free of charge. In the USA, 911 is the emergency number. Please find out in advance what the emergency number is for the country you are going to for your holiday.
What must be said during an emergency call?
The emergency call always asks the 5 W questions:
- WHERE did it happen?
- WHO is calling?
- WHAT has happened?
- HOW MANY injured/affected?
- WAIT for further questions!