WWYD - small children playing on roof

[SailingNotSurfing]

I was out in the garden earlier, putting out some washing, when I heard some children shout hello. I looked around and saw a couple of houses away, there were two little girls on the pitched roof, perched up by the chimney. The bedroom window below them was open and it seemed that's how they climbed out.

I ran round to the house, knocked on the door, and told the woman who answered that her children were playing on the roof. She was horrified, and together with the help of another neighbour with a ladder, we managed to get them back indoors with and to safety.

No harm done, thank goodness. But it got me thinking, if I hadn't been physically able to go round to the house, who should I have called? The police? An ambulance? The fire brigade?

If you call 999 the call handler will decide which is the appropriate emergency service when you speak to them, not sure who that would actually be though! Maybe the Fire Brigade as they have ladders?

Years ago friend’s son did similar —- and they lived in a 3 storey house. He thought he could slide down the roof and walls like a cartoon cat and wanted to try it out…….

It makes my blood run cold to think of what could have happened.
I guess 999 would have been the best call, and as you say, the call handler can make the decision.

I've just been round my house to make sure the upstairs windows don't open enough to let a person climb out.

Children think they are invincible, don't they? The little girls were quite cross that I'd ruined their morning's playing on the roof.

God how terrifying! Can't help having a sneaky bit of admiration (and sympathy!) for the kids though!

Thank God you were there.

When we were little, my friends and I lived in those appartment buildings where the roof was a terrace where you could hang your clothes.

We used to go up there and jump from building to building, to see how far we could go.

One of my neighboors fell in the gap and passed away on the spot.

When I was younger we used to climb out of my sisters bedroom window onto a sloped roof, jump across to the flat roofed garage, jump over to the shed and climb down.

I think we’d seen too many 80s American movies with kids climbing up and down drainpipes to access bedrooms.

@Munchcrip

Thank God you were there.

When we were little, my friends and I lived in those appartment buildings where the roof was a terrace where you could hang your clothes.

We used to go up there and jump from building to building, to see how far we could go.

One of my neighboors fell in the gap and passed away on the spot.

Oh my God. What a horrific way to die.

That was my fear - that the children would slip off the roof and hit the concrete. They were completely fearless, doing ballet moves and poses on the apex. Meanwhile their mum was downstairs doing housework and had no idea.

I've always been scared of heights - I got stuck on a ski lift once, and that just reinforced my phobia.