A 9-year-old LaPlace girl called 911 for help Friday morning after her mother experienced a medical emergency while driving on Interstate 10 in St. John the Baptist Parish. The mom, who was able to pull onto the shoulder of the road, passed out shortly afterwards.
The girl dialed the St. John 911 Operations Center to report the emergency around 10:45 a.m. but didn’t know where they were located. The mother regained consciousness for a short period and was able to talk with dispatchers who alerted St. John Sheriff’s Office deputies.
Deputies located the vehicle occupied by the woman and the three young children, ages 9, 5 and 2. The 30-year-old woman, who was having chest pains, was transported via ambulance to a New Orleans hospital. 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.”
Sheriff Tregre said that children should be taught how to dial a cell phone—and landline—to reach a 911 operator. They should also be taught what to expect when calling 911, Sheriff Tregre 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,” Sheriff Tregre said. “Make sure they know not to hang up the telephone until the operator tells them it is OK to do so.”
Parents also should make sure their child knows their full name, address and phone number. If the emergency happens at home, this will help emergency responders find them quickly.