Emergency telephone facts for kids

Emergency telephone in an elevator

Emergency phone next to a highway in Germany

An emergency telephone is a special telephone that can be used in an emergency situation. Such telephones can usually be found on highways, and other big roads. They can also be found in places where people feel unsafe, such as big parks or the campuses of universities.

Emergency phones are usually connected directly, there is no need to dial a telephone number. Lifting the receiver, or pushing a button will make the call. Very often emergency telephones will also tell the other side where they are. This is because people may not know where they are or they may be in shock because of an accident that just happened.

There are many special rules that apply to emergency telephones. They need to be in special colors, because color-blind people may not be able to tell the difference between certain colors. They also need to be easy to use. In an emergency situation, many people do not have time to think about how to operate them.

Images for kids

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  Call box on U.S. Interstate Highway

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  Street police phone in Odessa

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  Emergency telephone on a beach at Trefor in North Wales

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  An integrated, pedestal style emergency telephone on a college campus