Passenger Trains > Kudos to crew of #716 of Nov 5

My hat is off to the fantastically competent and professional response to a medical emergency by the Amtrak train crew on the train I was aboard (San Joaquin train #716 on Nov 5). I regret that I did not get the names of the Conductor and Assistant Conductor but they deserve a commendation. Their actions may have saved a life. Perhaps a TO reader "on the inside" could pass this information along.

A passenger in my car passed out due to a possible drug overdose. He stopped breathing and was in serious need of emergency medical attention. I alerted the conductor. I then observed the ensuing events from my seat.

I was very impressed with the professional, rapid and calm response of the Amtrak train crew. The Assistant Conductor stayed with the patient after bringing a large first aid kit with an oxygen tank. The train remain halted at the Madera station as para-medics were summoned by the Conductor. A physician and another medical worker, perhaps an RN, who were traveling on board took over giving emergency aid while awaiting arrival of the ambulance. The paramedics arrived, gave the patient an injection that brought him around to consciousness, The individual was removed from the train and taken to a local hospital.

We left Madera aprox 30 minutes late (we had been on time up to that point).

We arrived in Bakersfield 1 minute early.

Great job Amtrak #716 (5) crew!

Winnemucca Slim



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 11/07/09 13:38 by Winnemucca.

If you're still at the TRAC conference there should be a few good insiders there to talk to... I'll shoot a PM to you shortly.

Although it is nice of you to post your commendation here, you should still send an e-mail to Amtrak saying exactly that. They can look up the crew on the date in question and most of the time the crew will get these notes passed along to them and occasionally added to their files.

True that, not everything some Amtrak folk read here makes it where it should.

tmamtrak Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Although it is nice of you to post your
> commendation here, you should still send an e-mail
> to Amtrak saying exactly that. They can look up
> the crew on the date in question and most of the
> time the crew will get these notes passed along to
> them and occasionally added to their files.

Thanks for all the suggestions. Yes, I did send Amtrak a copy of my TO post. Hopefully it will reach the right people.

Your kind remarks will get to the crew and they will be acknowledged appropriately.

169

That's great that the crew could react so well and quickly. I've often thought that railroad crews should be certified in, at minimum, basic first aid, and I'm sure many are. Maybe they could even start carrying narcan to arouse the unruly drug overdosers! Excellenet work by the crew, though.