DR. WALLACE: I'm a 16-year-old girl, and I'm an only child. I live with both my mother and my grandma, and we all get along really great.

My problem is that I worry a lot that my mom or my grandma will catch the COVID-19 virus, and I even have had a few nightmares about this. In my dreams, I see them both really sick on the floor. I try to call for help, but nobody can understand me because I am so upset and hysterical on the phone.

I know this is only a dream, but is there anything you might suggest that can ease my worried mind a little? I love both my mom and my Nana so much, and that's why I think I have these bad dreams. — Worried Teen, via email

WORRIED TEEN: First of all, I am sorry to hear that you are struggling with these nightmares. The good news is that you care for and love both of these very important ladies in your life, so I know that you have a great relationship with each of them.

I think you would feel better, and your subconscious may be able to calm down a bit, if you truly knew that you were fully prepared for an emergency. Of course, we hope you would never have to call 911 for a family medical emergency, but it would be wise for you to prepare, just in case. You'll also gain the extra benefit of knowing you can summon help quickly and efficiently if you ever need it. Here are my tried and true suggestions that I have gathered over the years, via the kind input of many wonderful 911 operators who have written to this column in the past:

— Stay calm. Speak slowly and clearly.

— Be ready to accurately state your exact location to the 911 dispatch operator. If your household has a landline telephone, use that one first in an emergency, as the operator will automatically know the location of that landline. If you must call from a cellphone, you need to quickly know the exact address to pass on to the operator. You may also be asked to give your name, telephone number, address, apartment number, city and directions, including landmarks or cross streets.

Describe the type of help you need: Is a person bleeding severely? Choking? Unconscious?

Describe any first aid that has been given: Has a person received cardiopulmonary resuscitation or other emergency care?

Describe the victim's location: Is he or she in an upstairs bedroom? Or is a person downstairs on the bathroom floor?

Listen carefully, and write down any instructions you are given. Ask the dispatcher to repeat any important information.

Don't hang up too soon. Wait until the dispatcher tells you to.

Make sure your house number is clearly visible, especially if it's after dark; you can do so by turning a light on outdoors to show your house number.

Be prepared to describe your house by any special fencing you may have or by the make and model of any vehicles in the driveway or parked outside.

Once you know that you are fully prepared to make a quick, effective and successful call for help, I trust your mind will be put at ease. This should hopefully help you to relax so you won't experience nightmares driven by your worries.

Dialing 911 has helped millions of people in harm's way and has saved many lives. You now know how to be completely prepared to do this well, even though I feel the odds are low that you will actually need to make such a call. But as with many things in life, it's always wise to be prepared for all possibilities, especially when it comes to the safety of your beloved family members.

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at rwallace@thegreatestgift.com. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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