It's National 911 Education Month (the emergency phone number) and April 8th - 14th, 2012 is National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week. In honor of these two things, we should be sharing the proper use of the 911 system with our students.
While many people understand the importance of the proper use of 911, many don't. It is vital to our society to have 911 used properly and not abused or misused. It is also important for people to understand that while that dispatcher is asking you questions, they are already sending help, so don't hang up, don't get frustrated, and answer their questions to the best of their ability.
As a paramedic, I've seen the misuse and misunderstanding of 911 first hand and this is a very important topic.
The National Emergency Number Association has a great web site with more resources and information for teaching about the proper use of 911, including links, brochures and handouts and more.
911.gov also has a great site on when to call 911 and how to answer the questions.
Take some time to learn more about 911 yourself and then teach your students.
Related:
Free resources for emergency preparedness education and planning
