From Frontline Bystander to Call-Taker: Connor's Lifesaving Journey

Full Circle: A Grocery Store Emergency

Back in September 2022, Connor was working as a 20-year-old manager on duty at a Coles supermarket in Burwood East. When shopper Mary Brockhoff collapsed in the confectionery aisle after suffering a cardiac arrest, Connor sprung into action. He immediately dialed 000, where the call-taker guided him to check her breathing and pulse. Under the call-taker's instructions, Connor and his colleagues, Roy Zeng and Emilia Cox, placed Mary in a safe position, performed CPR, and delivered two shocks using the store's Automated External Defibrillator (AED).

Their early intervention—guided step-by-step by emergency dispatch—kept Mary alive until first responders arrived. Hearing his own 000 call played back during a media event following Mary’s miraculous recovery left a lasting impression on Connor. The experience showed him the critical role emergency communications officers play in guiding bystanders through high-pressure situations.

Joining Triple Zero Victoria

Ready for a change in career and having had a friend who worked at TZV, Connor transitioned from the supermarket aisle to the emergency communications centre, joining Triple Zero Victoria as an Ambulance Emergency Communications Officer. Now, Connor is the calm voice on the other end of the line, providing guidance to people facing their worst moments.

A F.A.S.T. Response Saves Another Life

Connor’s expertise and composure were recently highlighted during National Stroke Week (3–9 August 2026). When 50-year-old Emma Reynolds suffered a severe stroke in the early morning hours, her partner, Petra, quickly dialed 000. Connor answered the call. Petra clearly described Emma's symptoms—including a sudden collapse and inability to stand—and expressed her suspicion of a stroke.

Recognising the critical nature of the situation, Connor gathered key details and dispatched advanced life support paramedics within six minutes.

Pictured: Left to Right: Stroke patient Emma Reynolds ,Triple Zero Victoria Call-Taker Conner Ferris and Emma's partner Dr Petra Niclasen.

Pictured: Left to Right: Ambulance Victoria paramedics Tyson Madeley and Kirsty Mertens, stroke patient Emma Reynolds and her partner Dr Petra Niclasen, Stroke Foundation Chief Executive Officer Dr Lisa Murphy, Ambulance Victoria Director of Stroke Services Professor Christopher Bladin, Triple Zero Victoria Call-Taker Conner Ferris.

Thanks to the rapid response coordinated by Connor and the responding paramedic team, Emma was safely transported to Box Hill Hospital for clot-busting medication and then to The Austin Hospital for clot retrieval surgery. Today, Emma is well on her way to a full recovery.