A 10-year-old girl is being hailed for her bravery after springing into action when her younger sister began having a seizure.
Lucia Charlton has been given a certificate of recognition by North East Ambulance Service for calling 999 with concerns for her two-year-old sister Blake, who is epileptic.
Paramedics Matthew Potts and Ian Lloyd arrived at the home in Gateshead in the early hours of October 19 where Lucia, who was aged just nine at the time, was waiting to lead the pair to young Blake.
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“Lucia stayed amazingly calm and called 999 before unlocking the doors and directing us quickly and calmly in from the street, upstairs, and to mam and baby so we could quickly assess and treat little Blake,” said Matthew.
“Her calmness and quick action ensured her little sister could be assessed and treated quickly before moving her to the QE hospital. She showed maturity beyond her age and should be very proud of how she managed the situation.”
Matthew added that meeting Lucia and her family had been “really special” as paramedics do not often get to meet families that have received help.
The letter from the ambulance service arrived on Lucia’s 10th birthday and she was overcome with emotion when she heard the news.
“I was shocked when I found out, but it feels good. The staff were really nice when I had to call 999 and I’m happy I was able to help my sister when she needed it,” she said.
And Lucia’s mum Stephanie Wilde shared her daughter’s excitement, adding: “I had taught her how to do Blake’s rescue meds so she knew what to do, but this was the first time she’d had to do it. It was amazing to see how well she reacted.
“I cried when we got the letter saying the ambulance service wanted to award Lucia for her bravery.”
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