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TAHLEQUAH, OK - In honor of National EMS Week, Cherokee Nation paramedics performed a skit for head start children at the James Danielson Children’s Village to teach them about the importance of dialing 911 in an emergency situation and seatbelt usage.

"It’s very important that children know what to do in an emergency", said Cleve Edgemon, a Cherokee Nation paramedic. "They have to know their address and where they live."

"We work with the children in class to try to teach them their addresses", said Charlena Blackbear, Cherokee Nation head start teacher. "We spend a lot of time on it, we know how important it is."

Cherokee Nation paramedics Julie Scott and Yvonne Johnson dressed as crash test dummies, 'Vince' and 'Larry', to explain the importance of wearing seatbelts. The crash test dummies have been featured in many television commercials promoting seatbelt usage.

"If we can catch them at this age and develop the habit of wearing a seatbelt, it will stay with them for the rest of their lives", said Scott. "We want them to know that seatbelts are cool and they save lives."

The children got to sit in the ambulance while Edgemon explained how everything in the ambulance would be used in an emergency. Paramedics were also on hand to answer the teacher’s questions on CPR and other life saving skills that may be needed in a classroom. Paramedics gave all of the children a bag with coloring books, crayons, stickers, and a sucker to serve as a reminder of the presentation.