Community Impact
National 911 Education Month Kick-Off
April is National 911 Education Month, when industry, public safety, and educational leaders work together to teach young people how important it is to know when, why and how to dial 911. Here at Comcast, we’ve created some 911 educational resources for parents and kids http://security.comcast.net/e911/. As part of my work with the E9-1-1 Institute, I got a chance to go down to the District of Columbia last Friday, April 9th, 2010 to take part in the 2nd Annual 911 Block Party sponsored by the Office of Unified Communications (OUC) at the Ferebee-Hope Community School. I joined other E9-1-1 Institute Board members and staff, NENA, APCO and Federal representatives as we kicked off National 911 Education Month in the nation’s capitol.
With over 300 students and teachers gathered in the auditorium, Janice Quintana, Director of Office of Unified Communications, and Greg Rohde, Executive Director of the E9-1-1 Institute, reminded the students that it’s important to dial 911 only in case of emergency, and told them what to say when they reach a 911 operator for help. After the assembly, the students went outside to find fire trucks, several police cars, K-9 units and other public safety vehicles from the Metropolitan Police Department and we even had a visit from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Helicopter! The kids got a chance to learn about these vehicles, visit educational stations set up across the block party area, interact with police, firemen and enjoy popcorn, face painting and games.
In honor of 911 Education Month, at Comcast we feel it is very important to provide helpful tips and provide online resources for parents and caregivers about 911 and how to help keep you and your family safe. Our 911 Education Center can be found on our Security Channel at http://security.comcast.net/e911/ - we’ve got interactive activities including 911 coloring pages and a fun quiz. We’ve also got a list of 911 terminology, usage tips and additional resources to help you teach your child how and when to call 911.