A school girl, from Caistor Lincolnshire, has been presented with a Laverick award for recognition of her bravery after her mother became unconscious and stopped breathing after choking in their home in March this year.
Jazz Davis, 15, and sister Katya, 17, were at home with their mum Vicky when she suddenly started choking and was unable to dislodge the object.
Vicky, who has been a single mother since the children were young, has always told them what to do in an emergency and the importance of calling 999.
Jazz was sat with her mother when she started choking on a piece of pork. Jazz who had previously completed her first aid training, at Caistor Grammar School, immediately started back slaps, and told sister Katya to call 999.
Emergency medical call handler Cary Ward answered the 999 call provided Jazz and Katya with further instructions. After a brief period of time, Vicky became completely unresponsive. The sisters performed Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) on their mother to save her life.
Technician Michael Scragg arrived first and was greeted by Jazz, Katya and Vicky, who was still unresponsive but now breathing.
He said: “When I first arrived and walked in, mum Vicky was laid on the floor breathing but unconscious. Jazz explained how she had followed the instructions of our control staff to dislodge the piece of pork. I assessed Vicky, gave her oxygen and she slowly started to come around.”
Ambulance crew Paramedic David Felton and Technician Mandy Rooke arrived to transport Vicky to hospital.
David Felton nominated Jazz and Katya for the Laverick Award.
David explained: “Many people complete first aid training but to put it into practice is a different story, especially at the age of 15 and to your Mum. Jazz and Katya should be proud of themselves, they saved their mothers life. “
The presentation to Jazz and Katya of a Laverick award happened at Caistor Grammar School yesterday. They were presented the award by Michael, David and Mandy.
The Laverick award is designed to recognise children and young adults of courage, who have gone above and beyond to help another. The award is in memory of Nick Laverick a Paramedic and Team Leader who tragically lost his battle with cancer on his 37th birthday in September 2013. Nick’s colleagues all miss him terribly and along with his wife Sasha, who is also a paramedic, decided to continue his legacy through this award.
Mum Vicky said: “I am so extremely proud of my girls and how brave they were. Their actions saved my life.
“It was a privilege to watch them receive their award. I am thankful to the ambulance service for getting there so quickly.”
Technician Mandy Rooke added: “It was lovely to present the girls with their award.”
Marcus Croft, Assistant Head at Caistor Grammar School said: “We have taught our year 10 pupils for a long time, seeing that Jazz put her skills to use and saved her mum’s life makes it worthwhile.”
For more information on what to do if somebody is choking please watch our short video here.