Unlike most adults, Savannah Hensley remained calm during a time of crisis.
As kids, we couldn't help but depend on adults to take charge in times of crisis. But that's not necessarily the case in every household. An unlikely role reversal took place at the Hensley residence when a girl of 5 helped her dad by handling a 911 call like a pro after he began experiencing trouble breathing. Not only was Savannah Hensley brave enough to explain the dire situation to a 911 dispatcher, but she also managed to stay calm throughout the process.
Savannah's father, Frank, made a call to 911, but he was not in a state to speak. His 5-year-old daughter understood this. She got straight to the point as 911 dispatcher Jason Bonham received the call. "My Dad can hardly breathe," she told Bonham, who quickly assured that help was on the way. What the dispatcher did not expect was to be kept entertained by the little girl who updated him on other matters. After explaining her father's condition and unlocking the front door as per Bonham's instructions, she became concerned about what to wear when the first responders arrive.
Savannah kept reassuring her father every chance she got in between the call but the little girl just could not take her mind off the "what to wear" dilemma. "We're in our jammies... and I'm in a tank top. So... I'll have to get dressed," the 5-year-old was heard saying in the transcript that was released later. "I don't know what I'm gonna wear, but... he really needs oxygen, real fast," she said alternating seamlessly between her options for clothes and her father's condition. Savannah then informed the dispatcher that she'll be in her room changing...when Bonham cuts her off and urges her to stay beside her father to keep him awake.
Just like that, Savannah discarded her worries about putting on something else and continued talking to him. Next, she provided him another vital piece of information about their family dog Lou. "We have a dog... that's really small," she noted and Bonham asked if the Lou is friendly or not. "He kind of barks," said Savannah, as she indirectly helped the first responders know exactly what they are getting into. She can also be heard calling out to the dog, so she can keep it at a safe distance when help arrives.
Despite the distressing situation, Savannah continues to keep her dad calm for several minutes while relaying his condition to the dispatcher. When the ambulance finally arrives, the little girl admits, "I'm really shaky, too." Although she was scared, the 5-year-old girl pulled off something that most adults fail to do in times of emergency and Bonham agrees. "Most people, when you talk with them, they’re so hysterical," shared the Hancock County dispatcher according to Bored Panda. "Every time I’ve listened to it, it’s amazing. She’s just a little person," he added about the smart little girl.
References:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zj837OTiYWc
Cover image source: Canva
