SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) - Dialing 9-1-1 is easy, but in the age of smartphones, firefighters say that can be a challenge for kids to learn.

One parent, Michelle Cruz Hine, said she has an idea of life lessons she wants to teach. 

"I think they [children] just need education, learn about specific emergencies and the importance of it," Cruz Hine said. She is expecting to become a foster mother.

Dialing 911 is one of those life lessons she wants to teach, but her child will have to learn how in a different way. Cruz Hine was taught how to call with a landline. In 2019, the majority of households rely on mobile phones. 

Capt. James Price of the Springfield Fire Department said landlines are becoming less prevalent. Teaching a child how to 911 can present itself as a challenge. 

"All cell phones in the United States have to be able to dial 911," Price mentioned. 

Price said it is not uncommon for dispatchers to get calls from a child by accident, even if the phone doesn't have a sim card. At a very early age, Price said it is appropriate to teach children how to dial 911 and when to dial. 

"It can be used so much for educational purposes," Cruz Hine commented.  

Price also mentioned how it is important that one does not actually call 911 while teaching their child. If they do, don't hang up because dispatchers will call back to see if it was an emergency. Instead, stay on the line and let them know it was an accident.Â