STUDENTS IN SPRING LAKE LEARN A LESSON ON HOW TO DIAL 9-1-1

First Grade students from the H.W. Mountz Elementary School in Spring Lake learned how to call 9-1-1 with help from Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden and public safety telecommunicators from the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office. SEEK (Sheriff’s Emergency Education for Kids) 9-1-1 teaches first grade students how to use the 9-1-1 emergency number properly.

The program which is offered to elementary schools throughout Monmouth County was presented to 30 students at H.W. Mountz on May 11th. “The importance of using the 9-1-1 emergency call number is vital to public safety,” said Sheriff Shaun Golden. “The goal of SEEK 9-1-1 is to teach children how to get help quickly for their own safety and for their families.”

The SEEK 9-1-1 program includes a fun video featuring animated characters and a catchy theme song reinforcing the central message. Instructors also provide a hands on interactive session using telephone simulators to role play various emergency scenarios. Scenarios include what happens when a child hangs up without speaking to a 9-1-1 telecommunicator, handling an injury, what to do if you are home alone and see a prowler and when it is not appropriate to call 9-1-1.

The Monmouth County 9-1-1 Communications Center serves 44 of the county’s 53 municipalities and receives more than 500 calls per day. Approximately 40 percent of the 9-1-1 calls received each year are wrong numbers, prank calls, hang ups or non emergencies. During the presentation, SEEK 9-1-1 instructors emphasize the appropriate times to call 9-1-1 and when other non emergency phone numbers should be used.

“The Sheriff’s Office is committed to safety and youth education and we’re proud to make the SEEK 9-1-1 program available to the H.W. Mountz Elementary School,” said Sheriff Golden. “It’s important for students and adults to remember to SEEK 9-1-1 during an emergency.”