by Alexander J. Zielinski
Within the last 10 years the number of payphones and landlines has dropped sharply, most homes now relying on personal cellphones as their only phone. The majority of people filling in the same number for home and cell phone numbers on any form requiring it. A smartphone has thousands of useful functions and the supply of apps is endless, but can your child use it to dial 911 for an ambulance, the police, or the fire department? If you were unconscious, unable to get to your phone, or some other emergency, could your child unlock it and dial correctly for first responders? On most phones the keypad is not readily available and many people have passcodes to unlock the phone only to be lost in a sea of icons if you know the code.
Thankfully, there are a few apps that help parents teach their children how to dial 911 from a smartphone.