A SEVEN -YEAR-OLD girl has been hailed a “little hero” by local paramedics after her quick thinking saved her mother during a frighting experience.
Fiona Logan was at her Mount Gambier property – with her young daughter Charlotte – a few weeks ago when she began experiencing a medical episode that left her unable to talk.
Quick-thinking Charlotte grabbed the closest phone and dialled triple zero before calmly explaining the location and situation to the ambulance call operator.
“We had only talked about it a couple of weeks earlier when I had been a bit sick and I showed her a few mock calls on how to dial the number,” Fiona said.
“I was incredibly proud of her because I could not communicate, so it was up to Charlotte to tell my story to the operator.”
Paramedics Sandra Jones and Andrew Chee swiftly arrived on the scene where they were greeted at the door by Charlotte and she showed them to her mother.
“We already knew on the way to the job the caller was a child, but we were not expecting such a cool and collected little girl on our arrival,” Ms Jones said.
“Charlotte was very much in control of the situation and she could tell us what was happening with her mother.”
Ms Jones said the incredible detail Charlotte had provided on the phone was matched by her ability to help once they arrived on the scene.
“Not only did she know where she lived and tell us all about her mother, but then she also was able to open the door, show us to the patient and then she also rang a family member so we could obtain more information,” Ms Jones said.
“It is a really important lesson for parents to talk to their children about how to act in an emergency – from calling triple zero to providing the important information to the operator.”
Paramedics rely on assistance from the public when they arrive and Mr Chee said Charlotte’s communication was something to be admired.
“She honestly did a much better job than a lot of adults we have dealt with,” Mr Chee said.
“She was very clear, very concise and while she was scared, she was not panicking.”
Charlotte was recently invited back to the Mount Gambier ambulance station to receive an award for her bravery.
Limestone Coast ambulance operations manager Andrew Thomas thanked Charlotte for her assistance before presenting her with a certificate and plush ambulance.
When asked whether she wanted to work in an ambulance in the future, Charlotte responded with a beaming smile.
“Yes, yes, yes!” she said.
