A "police-obsessed" three-year-old has been hailed a hero after dialling 999 when his mum collapsed at home. James called West Yorkshire Police when his mum Georgia suddenly became seriously ill and fell unconscious at their home in Doncaster, failing to wake up.
Georgia had suffered postural hypertension - a drop in blood pressure - and dehydration. Despite his young age, James was able to communicate with the call handler, Jen, and explain what had happened. Audio from the emergency call captures the youngster responding to Jen's questions, including giving his name and explaining that his mum isn't "waking up".
Swift Thinking and Recovery
Fortunately, Georgia regained consciousness during the minute-long conversation, but the toddler was widely praised for his swift thinking. As a reward for his bravery, he was presented with a helicopter by PC Jordan Kassim and PC Charlotte Wright.
Georgia and James's dad Jake said they are "so proud" of their son and are now encouraging other parents to speak to their children about 999 calls and when to use them in emergencies.
Parents' Pride and Advice
She said: "He is an incredible little boy, and we still can't believe he managed to do it and recognised the emergency that was happening."
"He potentially saved my life as I didn't know how long I was going to be passed out for. I hope this encourages other parents to consider having the same conversation with their children because it's so important to teach them while they're young and it could be lifesaving."
Training and Recognition
James' parents decided to teach him how to call 999 in an emergency following a visit to Sheffield's Emergency Services Museum, after his mother became concerned about what might happen if she fell ill during her pregnancy.
Call handler Jen said it was a "call she will never forget". Operations Chief Inspector Louise Kent said: "Thanks to James' perception and understanding of the situation in front of him, the call handler was able to do just that and adapted her language and tone to ensure she offered calm and reassurance to James in what must have been a frightening incident.
"She was able to assess the situation in front of her and deploy officers to Georgia's address, allowing her to seek medical treatment and James' parents should rightly be proud of him for his actions on that day. I am incredibly proud to work alongside our call handler Jen who managed this incident so well."
