Pakenham girl Nicole Ibrahim, 11, called triple-zero after her mother suddenly became faint while driving along the Princes Highway on her way to a doctor’s appointment.
Salvatore Leone, 7, from Cranbourne North, called triple-zero after his mother had an anaphylactic reaction and collapsed on the floor. The young boy also used an epi-pen to try and revive his mother.
Paige Weidermann, 12, from Lynbrook, called an ambulance when her dad suffered chest pains.
Emily Ray, 15, from Narre Warren, called triple-zero while putting out an oven fire and ensuring her pets were safe.
Berwick girl Gabrielle Singh, 9, called triple-zero after a fire broke out in a bedroom while she was doing homework.
We know that kids in Casey and Cardinia are pretty remarkable – and six of them have been officially recognised for keeping calm and calling triple-zero during times of crisis.
Nicole, Salvatore, Paige, Emily and Gabrielle were among 51 Victorian children feted at the Junior Triple Zero Heroes award ceremony at the Windsor Hotel earlier this year.
The youngsters were all lauded by Minister for Emergency Services James Merlino and comedian Dave Hughes.
“Victoria’s brave junior Triple Zero Heroes remained remarkably cool, calm and collected and are shining examples of how preparing children for an emergency can save lives,” Mr Merlino said.
In October last year, Nicole Ibrahim’s mother suddenly became faint while driving along the Princes Highway on her way to a doctor’s appointment.
Nicole said she remembers the incident very clearly.
“Mum said she wasn’t feeling well and pulled over to the side of the road,” she said.
“When we stopped, she fainted.”
Nicole’s mother Marianna has a rare condition called neurally mediated hypotension which causes faulty brain signals to cause low blood pressure leading to symptoms such as dizziness, nausea and fainting.
Ms Ibrahim said it was the first time she had ever had an episode while she was driving and is immensely proud of her daughter, who remained calm under pressure.
“She handled everything, because when I faint I can hear but I can’t move or respond,” she said.
Nicole said she at the time she wasn’t shocked that her mother had fainted, but that she couldn’t identify the area they where they were. She said her brother Patrick was a great help.
“Patrick helped a lot by recognising the street we were in,” Nicole said.
Six-year-old Patrick said he noticed that they were near a friend’s house.
“I told Nicole that we were near Lakeside when she called triple-zero,” Patrick said.
Nicole’s call taker instructed her make sure that her mother was lying as flat as possible and to check she was still breathing while the ambulance was on its way. It arrived less than 10 minutes later.
Marianna said she couldn’t be prouder.
“I was very happy and proud of Nicole and Patrick,” she said.
“The call taker was so helpful as well in keeping the kids calm.”
Nicole said she has one message for other children who find themselves in an emergency situation.
“When something goes wrong people are going to help you,” she said.
“There are so many kind people. We live in such a great world.”
Calling triple-zero: A guide for kids
An emergency is when …
* Someone is badly injured or very unwell.
* Your life or somebody else’s life is in danger.
* There is a serious accident or crime taking place.
If there is an emergency, look around to see if there is a helper, such as a parent, an older brother or sister, or a teacher. If there are no helpers around, find a phone and call zero zero zero.
When you call triple-zero, you need to tell the operator which emergency service you need – Police, Fire or Ambulance.
NEVER call triple-zero for fun or a prank. There are serious consequences for you and for other people who might be in need of help.
Know the difference between big accidents and small accidents. Only ever call triple-zero if there is a big accident. If there is a small accident, tell a grown-up so they can help.
If someone is unwell or injured and you can’t wake them up, they are unconscious. This means that a big accident has occurred and you need to call triple-zero. If someone can’t breathe, this is an emergency and you need to call triple-zero.
Memorise your address and your phone number. If it’s too hard to remember, write it on or near the phone.
You don’t need to know the mobile phone’s passcode to call triple-zero. Just press the emergency button at the bottom and you can make the call. Ask a grown-up to show you how.
