Beepers, or pagers, are also useful ways to get help. While not as fast as dialing an emergency number, beepers offer a way to get assistance from a friend or family member if he or she is not near a phone.
When you call someone’s beeper number, you usually leave only your own phone number (by dialing it on a push-button phone). Then the other person calls you back. Some beepers, however, do take voice messages and work like a standard answering machine.
Working parents can carry beepers; children will feel more secure if they know their parents are always within reach.
Parents can also have their children carry beepers so that they can easily get in touch. Parents should know, however, that many schools have banned beepers, which can disrupt classrooms. Find out what the rules are at your child’s school.