As the school summer holidays begin, parents are being urged to make sure their children know what to do in an emergency. Pilot Simon Gough, from Wiltshire and Bath Air Ambulance, said it is
"critical"to know where someone is so that the emergency services can get to them quickly.
He said it was especially important if children were outdoors on their own during the summer holidays, and pointed to the example of one 15-year-old who had managed to get a helicopter to his injured friend by using the what3words app.
Research commissioned by the app showed three in ten children do not know the number for the emergency services and more than a third cannot reliably recite their home address.
What is being recommended?
Gough asked families to follow the advice of the emergency services and talk to children about what to do, particularly as children enjoy outdoor activities over the summer holidays.
"Practise it. Nothing scary. What you would say on the phone, what number to dial.
"Understand the what3words. Make sure you know the three words that signify your house, your front door or the holiday address you're at."
What3words is an app also available on mobile web browsers that has become recommended by emergency services.
It splits the world up into small grids identifiable by three words, which can help locate people more precisely. It can be given to an 999 operator for crews.
Gough explained that having the exact position makes it easier to find someone, especially in rural areas like the one he covers.
"It's critical, especially where time is concerned."
People are being urged to make sure their children know what to do in an emergency
What difference can it make?
Gough said the incident in which a teenager
"stayed really calm"during an emergency happened earlier this year.
Henry, 15, from Wiltshire, had learned what to do in emergency situations in the scouts, so when his friend, Dom, 12, was injured in a mountain biking fall, he knew how to react.
"I just thought it was a normal crash. I went to check he was ok, but he was unconscious."
Dom explained they were in woodland in January, looking for new jumps to do when he
"was going too fast, lost control, flew over my handlebars and hit my head on the ground, the bike landed on top of me".
"All I can remember is I was really cold, it felt like I was dreaming."
Henry went to call 999, but had no signal, so enlisted the help of dog walkers.
They put Dom into the recovery position, gave him extra layers and were able to call.
Henry was able to give them their exact position through what3words.
"It was a bit scary but I knew what to do, I learned it at scouts.
"On expeditions or anything really, there could be an accident anytime and I had what3words in my phone for that."
The helicopter landed four minutes after the call, just two minutes from the group.
Dom, who has since recovered, visited the helicopter that transported him to hospital
Dom said he
"recovered well"after six weeks. He had suffered a concussion and bleed on his liver.
He said he had been back on his bike since but has not
"fallen off badly"again.
Dom's mum, Talia, said they are not stopping him from his activities:
"I think if we said no, he would do it anyway.
"He was wearing a bike helmet but not a full face one, so we have invested in a full face one and some professional coaching for him."
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Wiltshire and Bath Air Ambulance
