When a team comes together to save a life, that is nothing short of a “Job Well Done”!
On August 25, Bus Operator Nichelle Harris was operating on Route 44.
Upon arriving at the end of the line at Milpitas BART Transit Center, Operator Harris made an announcement informing her passengers that it was the end of the line, but one passenger did not respond. Operator Harris walked back to her passenger to speak to him, but when the passenger would not wake up, Operator Harris contacted the Operations Control Center (OCC) and notified Transit Radio Dispatcher (TRD) Alexander Davalos about an unconscious passenger that kept twitching with every breath that he took. TRD Davalos inquired if she thought that her passenger was suffering from an overdose. Operator Harris stated, "Possibly, he did look a little intoxicated when he got on the bus."
Taking swift action TRD Davalos immediately called Santa Clara County Communication Center (CCOM) to get medical responders to the Milpitas Transit Center. While TRD Davalos was on the phone with CCOM, TRD David Hayner got on the radio with Operator Harris and advised Operator Harris to use her professional judgement to determine if the passenger needed NARCAN to be administered. Without hesitation Operator Harris went into the Transit Center facility, retrieved the NARCAN, returned to her coach, and with the assistance from Operator Denise Alejandro and Operator Chanpiseth Kim, she administered the NARCAN as suggested to do by the OCC. Soon after the medical responders arrived and transported the passenger to a local hospital.
Due to Operator Nichelle Harris quickly identifying the possible overdose, the great communication between the TRDs and operator Harris, Operator Harris rapidly obtaining the NARCAN, and with the assistance from Operators Denise Alejandro and Operator Chanpiseth Kim administering the NARCAN to the passenger, they potentially saved his life.
Such acts of rescue by VTA personnel demonstrate the excellent collaboration and willingness of our employees to go above and beyond to help our passengers. The selfless act of Operators Nichelle Harris, Denise Alejandro, Chanpiseth Kim and TRDs Alexander Davalos and David Hayner to help a passenger in such dire need was an incredible display of teamwork and a job very well done!