Can your child 'make the call' if something goes wrong?

Saturday 03 February 2018

Primary school children are being taught how to make a good 999 call to the Emergency Services thanks to an assembly being delivered by Child Accident Prevention Jersey (CAPJ).

CAPJ’s assembly entitled ‘Make the call’ is being presented to all primary school children aged seven to 11 in a bid to educate them on what to say if they need to phone the emergency services.

Children will be shown a short film, produced by the States of Jersey Fire and Rescue service, which shows an emergency situation requiring an ambulance. After the film, a student is asked to 'phone' the emergency services to report the incident as part of an exercise.

Jersey Telecoms and the States of Jersey Fire and Rescue control centres have joined forces with CAPJ to deliver the exercise. When the call comes through from an identified number, the JT operator then routes the call to the emergency service and normal procedures are followed as if it was a real incident. This exercise helps show children what to expect during a 999 call, as well as how important it is to make calls for valid reasons only.

Pictured: The special assemblies should help the children learn how best they can get help over the phone when in need.

In the assembly, the children also look at previous cases when people have called the emergency services and have to decide whether the calls were appropriate or not, as well as learning the importance of being calm and clear when making a call and the dangers of making hoax or prank calls.

CAPJ Coordinator Mandy Le Tensorer commented: "We’re aware that children often find making a 999 call a scary experience and because of this they may be reluctant to call, even though there is a real emergency.

"There are a number of things both adults and children do wrong when making a 999 call, such as ending the call too quickly or not giving enough information. We thought it was important to give children the opportunity to hear a real 999 call so they understand the importance of listening to the operator, remaining calm and answering the questions asked as best they can. This way, if they ever find themselves in a situation where they need to dial 999, hopefully they will feel more confident and prepared."