Staffordshire Police

Staffordshire Fire & Rescue

Teaching children how to call 999 in an emergency

An exciting joint venture with Humanoid Productions for Staffordshire Police. This project is aimed at children aged four to seven, with the emphasis being on what to do if they ever needed to dail 999.

The idea is based around a lion character that finds himself in an emergency situation! Can he stay calm enough to answer all of the questions from the operator which will ensure help is arranged as quickly as possible?

An exciting joint venture with Humanoid Productions for Staffordshire Police. This project is aimed at children aged four to seven, with the emphasis being on what to do if they ever needed to dail 999.

The idea is based around a lion character that finds himself in an emergency situation! Can he stay calm enough to answer all of the questions from the operator which will ensure help is arranged as quickly as possible?

Project Journey

Staffordshire Fire & Rescue

Project Journey

The Challenge

Calling 999 can be a daunting process for anyone. This project is aimed at helping young children call the emergency services if ever they found themselves in an emergency situation.

The campaign was launched online specifically during the summer holiday period to help raise awareness to both children and parents.

Calling 999 can be a daunting process for anyone. This project is aimed at helping young children call the emergency services if ever they found themselves in an emergency situation.

The campaign was launched online specifically during the summer holiday period to help raise awareness to both children and parents.

The emergency services are here to help but sometimes 999 is rung by mistake and we want to help children understand when it is the right time to ring 999.

The Solution

We created a simplified, realtable style that would read well with children. Everything from action down to pace is carefully thought out to ensure it can be followed easily. The story is based around a lookout lion that spots an accident outside his home.

We developed an illustrated storybook style for the character and backgrounds. Using pale colours and hand drawn decorations to make it visually appealing, casual and not in your face formal. The backgrounds were developed to show relatable environments.

The video needed to show the process of how calling 999 works along with how important it is to keep calm and listen to the operator at all times. It shows the effeciency of how just being alert and observant can make all the difference to how fast an emergency can be responded too.

We wanted the message to be clear but executed in a not so daunting and serious way. Below shows a comparison of the early storyboard animatic beside the final outcome.

The video needed to show the process of how calling 999 works along with how important it is to keep calm and listen to the operator at all times. It shows the effeciency of how just being alert and observant can make all the difference to how fast an emergency can be responded too.

We wanted the message to be clear but executed in a not so daunting and serious way. Below shows a comparison of the early storyboard animatic beside the final outcome.

The Result

The campaign was released throughout social media and racked up over 50,000 views within a couple of weeks of release.

Not only that, but it encouraged a large amount of interaction from parents which was amazing to see. It also made an appearance on TV!

After watching the video, it is recommended that children are spoken to about it and to ensure they know:

When is appropriate to call 999
That in an emergency they need to dial 999
How to make an emergency call from your particular mobile as this can differ depending on what device you have

When making a 999 call they need to remember:

To tell the call handler which emergency service they need
To tell the call handler their address and phone number or the location of the emergency
To stay calm and stay on the line as they might have some questions
The call handler is there to help them and they shouldn’t be afraid

Lisa Cope, Head of Contact Services for Staffordshire Police said:

“As the summer holidays begin, we are asking parents to make sure they take five minutes to sit down with their children and explain how and when to call 999.

“It is important that children know their address and postcode so that if they need to call 999 at home, we can get to them as quickly as possible.”

After watching the video, it is recommended that children are spoken to about it and to ensure they know:

When is appropriate to call 999
That in an emergency they need to dial 999
How to make an emergency call from your particular mobile as this can differ depending on what device you have

When making a 999 call they need to remember:

To tell the call handler which emergency service they need
To tell the call handler their address and phone number or the location of the emergency
To stay calm and stay on the line as they might have some questions
The call handler is there to help them and they shouldn’t be afraid

Lisa Cope, Head of Contact Services for Staffordshire Police said:

“As the summer holidays begin, we are asking parents to make sure they take five minutes to sit down with their children and explain how and when to call 999.

“It is important that children know their address and postcode so that if they need to call 999 at home, we can get to them as quickly as possible.”

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