A calm and collected six-year-old from Bingham sprang into action when his father suddenly collapsed, showing remarkable bravery just days after learning how to use the phone in an emergency.
Finlay’s Quick Thinking Saves the Day
Finlay, a Year 2 pupil at Robert Miles Infant School, was left to handle the crisis alone when his dad, Phil, suffered a serious medical episode while his mum Elaine, was out. The youngster immediately dialled his mum to warn her that Phil was struggling to breathe and had fallen to the floor.
Not stopping there, Finlay kept his head and spoke calmly with 999 operators when his mum called for an ambulance. His level-headedness during this terrifying ordeal helped get emergency services to the house swiftly.
Mum’s Teaching Pays Off in Stunning Fashion
Elaine had only recently taught Finlay how to use their landline phone, just days before the emergency. She had been thinking about cancelling the home phone but decided to keep it as a safety measure.
“I was looking into getting the home phone disconnected due to no longer needing it. Instead, I decided to teach Finlay how to use it in case of an emergency,” she said.
“A few days later, I got a call from Finlay telling me ‘daddy wasn’t well’. I could hear that Phil could not breathe and Finlay told me he was on the floor.”
Emergency Responders Praise Finlay’s Bravery
On arrival, paramedics had to perform chest compressions on Phil before rushing him to the hospital. Greg Cox, Divisional Director for Nottinghamshire at East Midlands Ambulance Service, applauded Finlay’s cool head under pressure.
“We’re incredibly proud of Finlay for his quick thinking and bravery. When his dad became seriously unwell, he stayed calm,” Cox said.
School Celebrates Young Hero with Certificate and Lessons
Robert Miles Infant School honoured Finlay with a certificate and invited him to share his heroic story during an assembly. Assistant head teacher Rosie Pilborough said:
“Finlay was able to keep so calm in such a tense and difficult situation and that’s remarkable for someone so young. Everyone at the school is so proud of Finlay. He is such a hero.”
The school has since introduced new lessons teaching children how to respond to emergencies and understand which services can help during crises—an important legacy of Finlay’s quick thinking.
