The day started as a regular day for parents, children and educators at the Thamesville and Area Early Learning Centre. As Sept. 22 progressed, and children were engaged in activities, Early Childhood Educator Trish Jones notices something wrong with one of the children. Fourteen-month-old Sarah Haven was choking and having difficulty breathing.
That’s when Jones, acting on her training in First Aid & CPR, jumped into action, applying her learned skills and knowledge to save little Sarah’s life.
On Oct. 19, Fire Paramedic Chief Ken Stuebing and Assistant Chief of EMS Scott Ramey attended the day-care centre to present a Chatham-Kent Fire & Emergency Services – Citizen’s Action Award to Jones for her quick action as a community member in saving a life or helping in a time of emergency.
Sarah’s mother Shannon Havens expressed her immense gratitude and appreciation for Jones and the Thamesville and Area Learning Centre, letting CKFES staff know that she felt “everyone needs to know first aid and CPR, you don’t know when you may have to save someone’s life”, and she is “extremely thankful for the actions of Trish.”
Stuebing emphasized how important citizen first responders are in contributing to helping people in those minutes until professional help arrives.
“We have excellent paramedics and firefighters in Chatham-Kent, but in cases like Sarah, with a blocked airway, no response is fast enough and often it is people like Patricia who make a difference,” he said in a media release.
Ramey would like to recommend that everyone in Chatham-Kent take the opportunity to receive first aid, CPR and AED training through one of many local providers.
“Our citizens who are present during emergencies can make a difference in life and death by activating 911, learning first aid and CPR, and taking action to help in an emergency,” he said.
