When you are pregnant there are many things that could go wrong in the pregnancy ... it's scary to think about, so you don't want to overextend yourself. But at the same time, it can be very tiring to sit at home and feel like you aren't doing anything.
What would you do though if you collapsed at home though? Who would help you? Would your children know what to do?
Luckily for this pregnant mother in Baltimore, her 5-year-old stayed calm and took action when she collapsed. He called his stepfather who then called 911. The 911 operator called the house and unfortunately, the son didn't answer the phone, but he quickly called back. He talked to them about how his mom was doing and where he lived.
He was too little to unlock the door for the paramedics, but the 911 operator stayed on the phone as the paramedics broke down the door to get to the collapsed pregnant mother.
The mother was rushed to the hospital. She later said, "If I had been left there and he didn't know to call somebody, I very well could have died."
Doctors diagnosed her with an unspecified condition, and she and her unborn baby are now doing fine. This little boy is being called a hero for remaining calm through this crisis and knowing to call someone for help.
Teach your kids when it's appropriate to call 911
It's important for you to explain and teach your children the importance of 911 and what it means to call 911. Teach your children how to respond to emergencies and to get help. Explain that there are situations where you should always call 911 for and some where you should seek help elsewhere.
1. There is a fire
2. There is a medical emergency
3. You witness a crime
4. You are in a crash or witness a crash
These are things that fireman, paramedics and policemen need to respond to immediately. Calling 911 will provide assistance not only when the service men and women get to the locations, but the 911 operator will also walk you through the situation while you wait.
When you should not call 911
It is important to know when not to call 911 so to not waste the time of the operators, service men and women and yourself. If it's not an emergency, you can find the answers you need faster without the help of a 911 operator.
1. A loud party or barking dog is interrupting your quiet
2. There is a power outage
3. Water is spilling out of pipes
4. You have questions about paying a ticket
5. You have a cold or flu symptoms
6. Someone has a minor cut
Service men and women want to help you, but it is better to leave 911 for emergency situations, not just when you feel like you have been inconvenienced.
What you should do when you call 911
1. Stay calm
It's important to stay calm in an emergency condition. The better you stay calm, the faster you can get help.
2. Tell them where you are
It's important for the service men and women to be able to locate you so you can get the help you need.
3. Answer all their questions
The operator will have a lot of questions. These questions are not meant to invade your privacy, rather they're to make sure you get the help you need.
4. Stay on the line
Don't hang up until help arrives. The operator needs to know what is happening so they can make sure the help you get knows what to do when they get there.
Emergency situations are scary to experience, especially for children. If you prepare your children for emergencies and teach them what to do, they might just end up saving your life or someone else's one day.
