Heroes who sprung to action when it counted: Ambulance Victoria Community Awards at Parliament House

A FIVE-year-old who saved his dad from being pinned under a ute, the 11-year-olds who rescued a drowning boy; these are the amazing tales of heroes who sprung to action when it counted.

Community Hero Awards by Ambulance Victoria for those who have saved others at Parliament House. Kai Macquet 5, won a Hero Award for coming to the aid of his Dad Justin Macquet who was trapped under his ute by running to a neighbour's house to raise the alarm. Kai and Dad Justin after receiving the award medal. Picture: David Caird.

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WITH his dad trapped under a ute and unable to move it is no wonder tiny hero Kai Macquet felt scared.

But the fear didn’t stop the five-year-old from Navigators, outside Ballarat, springing into action to save his father.

Kai was one of 13 brave Victorians recognised for their heroic lifesaving acts at the Ambulance Victoria Community Awards at Parliament House.

On June 15, Justin Macquet was working on his ute at his home when the car unexpectedly fell on him, with Kai the only other person home.

With Justin directing Kai on how to use his mobile phone, Kai managed to call the last person his dad had been speaking to.

“But unfortunately he didn’t take us seriously and thought we were playing a practical joke,” Justin said.

Kai ran hundreds of metres to their neighbours for help, but there was no one home.

Finally, Kai had to crawl underneath the ute and Justin taught him how to call his mum, who then called Triple 0.

“I was a little bit scared,” Kai said.

“He was stuck and I saved him.”

Justin suffered some nerve damage in his hand in the incident but is expected to make a full recovery, thanks to his “hero”.

Other Community Heroes recognised today include Traralgon 11-year olds Charlie Lockwood and Tom Said, who rescued an eight-year-old boy at a school swimming carnival.

The pair noticed Daniel Carstein on the floor of the deep end of the pool and dragged him to the surface, where a parent commenced CPR.

“Without Tom and Charlie I wouldn’t have survived, I’m very grateful they saved my life,” Daniel said.

Charlie said it was an honour to receive an award, but he was a bit overwhelmed by all the fuss.

“I didn’t think it would be this big,” he said.

Paramedic Ross Salathiel was first on the scene and said when he arrived, Daniel was just starting to breathe on his own.

“The boys had done everything right,” Mr Salathiel said.

Justin Macquet says he couldn’t be more proud of his son, who now has an impressive collection to take to show and tell; a gold medal, a policeman’s cap and his favourite — a CFA teddy bear.

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