20 or 30 years ago, there were pay phones everywhere. I might not have carried a phone in middle school, but I did carry quarters that I could use to call my parents if anything ever went seriously sideways.
I don’t let me kids have phones and I force them to be out and about in town on their own (way smaller town than NYC). I tell them I’d they ever need to get in touch with me, just find the nearest stranger and ask to make a call. Literally anyone would let a kid call their mom.
They have my number memorized.