Twice recently, my neighbor had 'bad things happen(tm)' and she reacted exactly the wrong way both times. She just isn't mentally prepared for a kitchen fire, or an intruder in the house. It doesn't happen to her, except when it did.
Both times, she called me instead of 911. Both times, I had her call 911 after dealing with the immediate issue.
She coughed for 2 weeks because she wouldn't leave the house until I forced her to during the kitchen fire.
I really don't think she can be trained out of it at this point.
/johnny