How Phillip Island's Willow Lee saved the day with a '000' call

ON Tuesday this week, when 20 Junior Triple Zero Heroes were presented with special awards at an annual event in Melbourne to acknowledge their efforts, Phillip Island’s Willow Lee Smith, was right up there with the best of them.

The Triple Zero organisation holds the awards each year to recognise young people in the community who have helped someone when they needed it most, with the recipients being nominated by the call-takers who took their calls and assisted them.

“We thank our call-takers for nominating these young heroes and being at the event to recognise their bravery, as well as acknowledge our call-takers' critical role in Victoria’s emergency services,” said a spokesperson for Triple Zero

Willow Lee Smith was awarded a medal by Triple Zero Victoria for her “amazingly brave” actions in calling 000 for her dad during a medical emergency.

The Triple Zero Victoria call-taker who took Willow’s call that day, Courtney Gass, nominated her for the award and was thrilled to be able to meet Willow and her dad Bill at the awards presentation at the Melbourne Museum.

Willow, who is in Grade Six and loves marine biology, received her medal from Victorian Emergency Services Minister Vicki Ward.

About willow’s call

Willow was just 11 when she noticed something wasn’t right with her dad in January last year. She immediately called 000 and spoke to call-taker Courtney Gass saying he had suffered a seizure and wasn’t conscious.

Willow was in control of the situation despite there only being herself and her little brother Riley, aged 5, at home. She also made sure dad followed instructions once he regained consciousness as they waited for help to arrive.

Willow did a brilliant job explaining what the house looked like, making sure the ambulance would know where to go.