LAPLACE, La. (Gray News) – A 9-year-old girl in Louisiana is being praised for helping her mother during a medical emergency Friday.
According to the St. John Parish Sheriff’s Office, the girl was with her mother driving on Interstate 10 Friday morning when she suffered a medical emergency.
The mother was able to pull onto the shoulder of the road but passed out shortly after.
That’s when her daughter stepped up to call the St. John 911 Operations Center to report what happened around 10:45 a.m.
Officials said the mother regained consciousness for a short period of time and was able to speak with dispatchers.
Deputies then arrived and found the woman in her vehicle along with three young children, including the 9-year-old, a 5-year-old and a 2-year-old.
The 30-year-old mother, who was experiencing chest pains, was taken to a New Orleans hospital.
First responders said she was alert and talking with medics.
The children were released to their grandmother.
“Fortunately this young child understood how to make an emergency call and dialed 911 to get help,” Sheriff Mike Tregre said. “This should serve as a reminder. It is important that every young child knows when and how to make a 911 call.”
Tregre said children should be taught how to dial a cell phone and landline if they ever need to reach a 911 operator. They should also be taught what to expect when calling 911, he said.
“Encourage your child to stay as calm as they can. Let them know the operator is there to help and will ask them questions,” Tregre said. “Make sure they know not to hang up the telephone until the operator tells them it is OK to do so.”
He said parents should also make sure their children know their full name, address and phone number so first responders can arrive quickly.
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