Teaching children about 911?

Of course kids should be aware of 911 or any kind of emergency numbers as well as adults are. There may be situations where only the kids are reliable on calling an emergency. We should make them aware of emergency numbers, unless your kid is Bart Simpson. Lol

I believe as soon as they can understand how to dial a phone is appropriate as one time I saw the news where a four year old saved his moms life. The mom has a heart attack while sleeping and he went to get her for breakfast. The played the tape and the child said my mommy is asleep and she won't wake up and she always makes me breakfast. It turns out the child saved her life and if he hadn't called 911 the mom would would not be alive today. So I believe as soon as they understand what a phone is this is imperative.

A friend of mine has a 4 year old nephew and this is a big concern for his family right now. His nephew loves phones and making calls! He goes into his mom's purse and steals her cell phone all the time and calls his uncle (my friend) and grandparents! Whenever I'm with my friend he'll answer his phone and I hear him say "Did you steal mommy's phone again?" His family is afraid that if they tell him about 911, he'll call it all the time! He has trouble with right and wrong. He knows it's wrong to go into his mom's purse and take her phone, but he does it anyway. And if they tell him it's wrong to call 911, they're really worried he'll still do it anyway. But on the other hand they're worried about emergencies and think it's important he learns what to do in an emergency! But for right now they're waiting to teach him about 911 because they don't think he's ready yet.

4 or 5, I guess. I know sometimes TV shows for kids will introduce it, like Sesame Street. I'm not sure when I learned about it- it seems like one of those things I've always know, though I know that's not true. I know my little sister learned it at 4 or earlier, because she and a bunch of other little kids called 911 once at a bingo event once, just because one of the other kids said they should. I was in another room then, so I didn't witness this. But it's good to know in case of a real emergency.