When you hear stories of high-stakes, high-stress situations it’s natural to ask “What would I do in that situation?” Would I keep my composure? Would I lose my cool? Usually in these unwelcome fantasies we picture ourselves as we are, fully grown. It’s not often that we have to ask ourselves if we could handle a nasty situation as competently as a three year old child did.
One smart child from Somerset UK, Emma Bazzard makes us ask such questions, because in her moment of stress she behaved better than even most adults would.
When her mother Catherine took a spill down the staircase, a world of responsibility fell onto Emma’s shoulders.
Catherine’s fall left her not only injured, but with waining consciousness. She was unable to instruct her three year old daughter to call the emergency services, and had hit her head during the tumble, as well as landing on her stomach.
Fortunately, little Emma was bright enough to jump into action and call 999 for the UK emergency services.
Serendipitously, Emma had never been trained to call the number, but was present when her older brother was being told what to do at the dinner table. Not only did she remember what to do, but her composure and beyond-her-years maturity allowed her to place an emergency call that would save not just her own mother’s life. Operator Sarah Morris may not have been expecting such a young caller, but she responded perfectly to Emma’s call.
“Ambulance services, tell me exactly what’s happened”
“Mummy fell down the stairs.”
“Your mummy fell down the stairs?”
“And she’s got a baby…”
And that’s when Morris’s call went from sweat-inducing to utterly nerve wracking. Morris however remains calm for Emma.
“Sorry, has she got a baby?”
“Yes” Replies Emma.
“Did Mummy and the baby fall down the stairs at the same time?”
“Yes”
“Alright darling we’re going to hep Mummy okay, can you go up to your mummy for me?”
“Im already with her”
“Is Mummy breathing?”
“Yes.”
“How old’s the baby?
“It’s in Mummy’s tummy”
“…Has mummy got her eyes open is she talking to you?”
“She’s going back to sleep now”
If you’re not breaking into a cold sweat at these words, then maybe you should be working on these emergency call lines, because Morris’s ability to handle this calmly and keep Emma both calm and helpful was astounding.
As Catherine slipped in and out of consciousness, Morris was able to guide Emma to taking care of her, staying on the line and making sure she was still breathing.
When paramedics arrived, Catherine was swiftly taken to hospital where she received immediate attention.
The fall had induced labour due to a ruptured placenta, and without the necessary drugs required to halt her labour, Catherine may have lost the child or had it 7 weeks premature. This is all without mentioning her own life, which as she lay unconscious hung in the balance as well. But Emma’s quick thinking and immediate action saved not only her mother’s life, but her little brother’s too.
Now, several years later the Bazzards are all alive and well, thanks to a remarkable child.
Catherine is understandably proud of her daughter who has received a certificate of bravery from the NHS Foundation Trust. Special mention of course needs to go to Sarah Morris and her deft ability to communicate with a child and keep her calm and proactive.
Watch the full video below to hear the harrowing call made by this brave child.
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