By Casey Neill
A remarkably calm Samaria Samuel, 13, called triple zero when she disturbed a burglar inside her Doveton home.
“He had something in his hands but I don’t know what it was,” she told the emergency call-taker.
“He left through the front door.”
Samaria and Endeavour Hills 11-year-old Ebtisam Ibrahim were among 51 children to receive Junior Triple Zero Hero awards from the Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority (ESTA) on Tuesday 30 May.
Emergency Services Minister James Merlino and comedian Dave Hughes presented the awards.
“Victoria’s brave Junior Triple Zero Heroes remained remarkably cool, calm and collected and are shining examples of how preparing children for an emergency can save lives,” Mr Merlino said.
In audio from her triple zero call, Samaria can be heard describing the man she saw in her house in great detail.
“I heard bins so maybe he climbed through one of our windows or something,” she said.
“I was upstairs in my bedroom and I heard shattering sounds.”
Dandenong MP Gabrielle Williams said Samaria was a true hero.
“She kept calm under pressure and sought help when it was desperately needed,” she said.
“She is an example to young Victorians everywhere.”
Ebtisam’s emergency was very different.
She made the triple zero call when her nine-year-old autistic brother went missing.
She and her family can be heard in tears on the recording, begging for help.
Ebtisam was able to provide details to help police find her brother.
Ms Williams said these stories of bravery were a perfect reminder to all Victorians about the importance of teaching children how to identify, confidently react to and report legitimate emergencies by calling triple zero.
ESTA’s triple zero operators nominated the award-winners.
The emergency communications agency receives almost 7000 emergency calls each day for the CFA, MFB, Victoria Police, Ambulance Victoria and Victoria State Emergency Service.
Listen to the triple zero calls here:
Samaria
Ebtifam
