St. John Ambulance Wants Parents to Talk to Their Children about Emergencies
February 1, 2010 (Toronto, ON) – February is “Heart Month” and St. John Ambulance wants parents across the province to prepare their children to help in case of an emergency. According to research, children as young as nine years of age can perform CPR. And as demonstrated in a popular YouTube video; children as young as five can call and communicate with 9-1-1. Here are some tips from St. John Ambulance on talking to your children about emergencies.
- What is 9-1-1? Explain to kids what 9-1-1 is; as well as the job of the emergency personnel associated with the number. They should know 9-1-1 will summon the police, an ambulance, and firefighters (depending on the situation) and what each individual does.
- Someplace Safe: Communicate to children the importance of being safe when you call for help. Make sure they know if the house is on fire to leave and call 9-1-1 from another location. All families should have an emergency plan that includes a meeting place outside the home.
- Parent vs. Paramedic: It is important for children to know when to call their parents and when to call an ambulance. Come up with different scenarios and quiz your kids to help them understand when to call which.
- Listen to the Operator: 9-1-1 operators are specially trained to assist with emergency calls. If your child calls 9-1-1, the operator will ask a series of questions to better understand the scenario. They may also, depending on the situation, give instructions to the caller. To help your child prepare, have them practice making an ‘emergency’ call to you or a neighbour.
- Get Trained: Confident parents make for confident children. If you can stay calm during an emergency your children will follow suit. There are also programs available from St. John Ambulance that teach young children how to deal with emergencies. The ‘We Can Help’ program for children 7-10 years of age, teaches children to recognize and respond to minor injuries. The ‘What Every Babysitter Should Know’ program gives children the tools they need to care for infants, toddlers and preschoolers when there are no adults present.
Teaching your children about emergencies and how they can assist is an important way to ensure they know help is only a phone call away if something should happen.
For 125 years, St. John Ambulance has been training over 140,000 Ontarians annually in first aid and other health care related courses and remains dedicated to saving lives at work, home and play. With over 4,000 volunteers contributing over half a million hours of community service a year, St. John Ambulance is an integral part of the community offering such unique and innovative programs as; medical first response, disaster response, car seat clinics, health and safety related youth programs and therapy dog services. As a charitable, non-denominational, humanitarian organization, proceeds from St. John Ambulance’s first aid training and first aid product sales directly support these vital community services programs. For more information on St. John Ambulance training courses and volunteer opportunities or to contact your local branch, visit
www.sja.ca