911 Call Drill with a Campus Map
In trios, students find a mock accident somewhere on campus, check the victim, and make a pretend 911 call to a classmate playing the dispatcher. Students practice giving an exact location, describing the situation calmly, and following instructions.
How to play
- Explanation (3 min): what a good call includes: where, what happened, how many victims, whether they respond and breathe; don't hang up until the dispatcher says so.
- Trios with a campus map: bystander, dispatcher, and observer. The teacher hides 8 accident cards under cones around the blacktop and entrance.
- The bystander runs to a cone, reads the case, and comes back to the call point (1 min); the dispatcher asks questions from a script card and the observer keeps time.
- The call (2 min): the bystander gives the location using map landmarks and follows the dispatcher's instructions, like checking breathing on the classmate playing the victim.
- Rotate roles each case, up to 4 rounds (about 14 minutes); the observer scores with a checklist of five key details.
Rules
- Safety: never dial the real number; phones stay put away.
- Run on the blacktop, but walk in hallways and on stairs.
- The bystander doesn't hang up or leave the victim without the dispatcher's okay.
- Speak slowly and repeat the address if asked.
Variations
Easier
Use simple single-victim cases and a map with the spots already numbered.
Standard
Four cases with location, assessment, and a dispatcher-guided call.
Harder
The dispatcher adds surprises, like the victim stopping breathing, and the bystander must start CPR while talking.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: play dispatcher or observer at the call point.
- Deaf or hard-of-hearing students: practice text-to-911 with visual script supports.
- Anxious or shy students: start as observer and move to bystander in the last round.
Learning goals
- Report an emergency with the essential details and exact location.
- Stay calm and follow instructions during the call.
- Use campus landmarks to guide emergency responders.
Equipment for a class of 25
- cards: 16
- campus maps: 9
- cones: 8
- stopwatches: 9
Teacher tip
The most common mistake is saying only "at school" with no building or floor: insist on specific landmarks. Use the drill to show where the school AED is.
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