Quick thinking 4-year-old saves mom, becomes big sister

As parents, it is essential we train our children how to react in an emergency with what to do, who to call or where to go.

Four-year-old Calise Manning knew exactly what to do when her mother, who was nine months pregnant, began having a seizure. She called 911. “She’s shaking and she’s having a baby….My mom is really pregnant, and she’s having a boy and she really needs help.”

Calise’s mother, Centerria, said she began teaching Calise important information like their address, her mother’s full name and how to call 911 when she was just two years old because Centerria is epileptic. Clearly, the training paid off. Calise not only did as she was taught, but remained calm during the whole ordeal. She stayed on with the dispatcher until help arrived and rode in the ambulance with her mom.

Not only is her mom OK, but Calise is now a big sister to brother TJ. “He’s cute, and I really love him.”

Besides teaching your children emergency phone numbers and keeping them posted near the phone and helping them know important information like names, address and phone numbers, there are other ways we, as families, need to be prepared.

Medical emergencies, house fires and natural disasters can strike any time and without warning. Being prepared for these eliminate a lot of the worry and stress from the situations. Read “Keep you family prepared—not scared” for some important preparedness tips.

Keeping medicines, 72-hour kits and car emergency kits ready to go are just a few essentials for every family. For some more tips, read this article on emergency preparedness.