By PETER DOUGLAS
MONTROSE youngster Tiana Dewhurst was the youngest recipient of last week’s Junior Triple Zero Hero Awards.
At just four years of age, Tiana dialled triple zero last year to report that her mother needed urgent medical attention.
Tiana’s mother, Kristi, suffers from an ongoing medical condition, which can cause her to lose consciousness.
This occurred in the family home last year, with Kristi calling out to her daughter for help before losing consciousness and hitting her head quite badly.
Kristi said she had listened to the recorded conversation between the operator and her daughter.
“The operator had thought it was a crank call because she sounded so young,” Kristi said.
“But Tiana remained cool, calm and collected.
“She did everything they asked, such as ensuring the door was open for paramedics.”
Tiana was among 27 young Victorians acknowledged at the Junior Triple Zero Hero Awards last week.
The heroes were nominated by Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority (ESTA) operators.
The recipients were aged between 4 and 13, with Tiana being the youngest.
Kristi said Tiana was initially overwhelmed with the intense media interest, but had slowly warmed to the “rock star treatment”.
“She was reluctant at first, but in the end she was posing for the cameras like a model,” Kristi said.
Kristi encouraged all parents to ensure their children know their own address, phone number and what to do in an emergency.
“I hate that I put her through that, but I am so proud of how she handled it,” Kristi said.
Tiana, now 5, is a student at Bermingham Primary School in Mount Evelyn, where the family lived before recently moving to Montrose.
ESTA operators received about 6600 emergency and non-emergency calls every day.
