The voice on the phone sounded very young — and very poised.

Alivia Anderson, an 8-year-old second grader, was on the phone calling for help because her mother was unconscious on the floor of their Fort Dodge home.

She knew exactly what to say, answering every question Pahl asked.

“She did better than half the adults do,” Pahl said Friday.

-Messenger photo by Bill Shea
Alivia Anderson and Kyleigh Anderson are seen Friday evening in the lobby of the Webster County Law Enforcement, where they met 911 Dispatcher Josi Pahl. Pahl answered Alivia Anderson’s call on Feb. 17 when she reported that her mother was passed out on the floor.

Alivia Anderson’s calm response helped dispatchers get help on the way, and likely saved her mother’s life.

On Friday, Alivia Anderson and her mother, Kyleigh Anderson, met Pahl at the Webster County Law Enforcement Center.

“This little girl right here — she did amazing,” Pahl said when she met Alivia Anderson.

Asked how proud she was of her daughter, Kyleigh Anderson replied “Incredible.”

She said she “actually cried” when she learned how her daughter handled the situation.

Kyleigh Anderson has a heart condition which required her to get a pacemaker. She has had multiple heart surgeries, and will have another one later this month.

Because of her condition, she has repeatedly instructed her daughter in how to call 911. She taught the girl to memorize their address and to tell dispatchers about her heart condition and pacemaker.

“I drilled it into her,” Kyleigh Anderson said.

Pahl said that was “very key” to the successful outcome.

“That ultimately saved her life,” she said.

The 911 call from Alivia Anderson came into the dispatch center in the evening of Feb. 17. Pahl answered it.

“The first thing I hear is ‘I’m 8 years old,'” Pahl said.

Alivia Anderson had called to report that her mother was on the floor and “she’s not waking up.”

The 911 center has an emergency medical dispatch protocol that prompts dispatchers to ask callers questions to help determine the nature and severity of the problem. Pahl quickly began working through the questions, wondering if she could make them understandable to an 8-year-old.

Alivia Anderson wasn’t confused by any of it.

“She knew everything,” Pahl said, “She answered my questions perfectly.”

At one point, Alivia Anderson reported that her mother woke up and passed out again. To Pahl, that was good news because it was proof that Kyleigh Anderson was breathing.

Thanks to Alivia Anderson’s effort, the Fort Dodge police and fire departments were at the home within minutes.

“The next thing I knew I woke up on the floor with a lot of people around me,” Kyleigh Anderson said.

She was treated and transported to UnityPoint Health — Trinity Regional Medical Center. There, Alivia Anderson demanded that the emergency room staff let her into the room where her mother was.

After recovering from that incident, Kyleigh Anderson wanted to thank the dispatcher who worked with her daughter that day. She enlisted the help of Deputy Sheriff Nick Dunbar to find out who it was.

The Andersons and Pahl met Friday evening in the lobby of the Law Enforcement Center.

Alivia Anderson gave Pahl a handwritten card she made. Pahl gave her a small dispatcher T-shirt.

During the get-together, someone asked Alivia Anderson how she became so brave.

“I don’t know,” she replied.