What Happens from the House to the Hospital?

Parents and caregivers spend every day working to keep their children safe. They buckle car seats, put helmets on little heads, supervise swimming, lock away medications and teach children how to stay out of harm's way. Most days, those simple habits help prevent injuries and give families peace of mind.

When emergencies do happen, parents trust that expert care will be waiting at the hospital. They know pediatric emergency physicians, nurses and specialists are prepared to treat children with the skills and experience they need during life's most frightening moments.

But there is an important part of the story many families never think about until they experience it themselves: what happens between the house and the hospital.

The moment someone calls 911, care begins. Dispatchers guide families through immediate next steps while firefighters, emergency medical technicians and paramedics head to the scene. Once they arrive, they assess the child, begin treatment, monitor their condition and communicate with the receiving hospital, all while making critical decisions in real time. Those first minutes can have a meaningful impact on a child's outcome.

While most emergency calls are for adults, thousands of children across Arizona require emergency medical care every year. Pediatric patients account for approximately 10% of all 911 calls and about 5% to 7% of all ambulance transports, highlighting why consistent, specialized pediatric training is so important.

Children are not simply small adults. Their bodies respond differently to illness and injury, medication doses are based on weight and equipment sizes vary depending on age. Children also can appear stable until they suddenly become sicker, requiring first responders to recognize subtle warning signs and act quickly.

Pediatric emergencies can include breathing difficulties, asthma attacks, seizures, allergic reactions, drownings, falls, motor vehicle injuries and heat-related illnesses. Many of these conditions can worsen rapidly if they are not recognized and treated early.

Because children make up a smaller percentage of emergency calls, first responders may not encounter certain pediatric emergencies as often as adult emergencies. That makes specialized education and regular practice especially valuable.

One of the best ways to prepare is through simulation. Realistic training allows emergency teams to practice medical care, communication and decision-making without putting patients at risk. Repeating these scenarios helps build confidence and teamwork before responding to a real emergency involving a child.

Across Arizona, hospitals, emergency medical services (EMS) agencies and fire departments work together to strengthen pediatric emergency care. Phoenix Children's supports that effort by providing pediatric-focused education and hands-on training opportunities for first responders throughout the state. As a pediatric Base Hospital, Phoenix Children's physicians are also available to provide medical guidance to EMS providers caring for children in the field, regardless of where the child is ultimately transported.

Each fall, Phoenix Children's also hosts its EMS and Prehospital Care Conference, bringing together more than 800 first responders from approximately 100 agencies across the Southwest to learn the latest approaches to pediatric emergency and trauma care. Through the hospital’s Simbulance, a mobile pediatric ambulance simulator, training is also delivered directly to communities throughout Arizona.

This year’s Phoenix Children's EMS and Prehospital Care Conference will be held on Monday, November 9, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Renaissance Phoenix Glendale Hotel & Conference Center. This major regional event connects first responders and features hands-on training insights utilizing tools like Phoenix Children's specialized mobile pediatric training Simbulance.

No parent wants to have to call 911 for their child. But if that day ever comes, families can take comfort in knowing a coordinated network of highly trained professionals begin caring for their child the moment help is on the way. From the house to the hospital, every second matters, and every step is focused on giving children the best possible chance of a healthy recovery.

Julie Augenstein, MD, is a pediatric emergency medicine physician and medical director of the Emergency Medical Services Base Hospital Program and the Critical Care Transport Program at Phoenix Children's. For more information, visit www.phoenixchildrens.org.