Car on fire! Dial 9-1-1!

I've often talked about my dad's love of cars and his obsession with fixing them. At a recent dinner party with Dad and my husband, I remembered the first time I attempted to call someone, 911 actually. My dad and one of his many auto shop students were in front of our home working on a car. This was a common occurrence at our house.

Oddly, my mom must not have been home at the time. She probably ran out to the local supermarket for a quart of milk or something. I clearly recall kneeling on the couch cushions, chest pressed against the back of the couch, peering out the living room window. My eyes widened as I went into a panic.

My dad and his student or friend were yelling as flames were shooting from the hood of the 1960s vehicle they were repairing. Much like a nightmare, I felt paralyzed at age four or five. I kept yelling, "FIRE! FIRE! FIRE!" But nobody was around to hear me. Quickly I ran for the phone. I remembered learning somewhere about the importance of dialing 9-1-1 when there is an emergency and all about STOP, DROP and ROLL.

What I didn't know about was how to properly make a phone call. With the handset positioned on the phone, I dialed that slow-ass '70s rotary phone as fast as my little fingers would let me, 9-1-1. Over and over again. Now if only I had picked up the receiver/earpiece, listened to a dial tone and then dialed those three easy digits. Luckily, Dad and his friend had the flames under control and everything was fine. I probably would have gotten in more trouble with my folks if that call had actually gone through. Ha ha!

You will be happy to know that today I understand the proper steps in making a 911 call.