Bus driver honoured for rescuing senior citizens

Ottawa – OC Transpo driver David Beamish is the 2003 TRANSECURE Employee of the Year. He received the award this morning for his role in rescuing two seniors from an overturned car.    

On the evening of December 29, 2003, David Beamish was driving his OC Transpo bus along Bank Street in Ottawa South. David was driving quite slowly due to poor weather and slippery road conditions, when he noticed a light in the middle of a field. The light was one headlight, coming from a car resting on its side in the field. David stopped on the side of the road and used his bus radio to call for help. David and a passenger then slid down the ditch and ran across the field towards the car. With gasoline leaking from the fuel tank, David climbed on top of the overturned car, opened the car door and pulled the two elderly occupants from the vehicle. Emergency vehicles arrived a short time later to take care of the elderly couple. However, because the roads were so slippery, the bus and emergency vehicles had to wait until a salt truck arrived before they could leave the area.  

David Beamish is just one of 13 Transit employees who were honoured for going above and beyond the call of duty to look out for the safety of the community, or using their buses to provide a safe haven to persons in distress.  

“The people honoured here today, and all OC Transpo employees who serve the public, serve as ambassadors for our city,” said Councillor Janet Stavinga, Chair of the Transportation Committee. “We are very proud of David and all operators who make our community safer by participating in TRANSECURE, OC Transpo’s neighbourhood watch program on wheels,” she added. 

Since the TRANSECURE program’s inception in October 1989, OC Transpo employees have logged thousands of TRANSECURE calls. More than 300 calls were recorded in 2003. The TRANSECURE programs’ success is due to the employees who go out of their way to make Ottawa a safe and caring community. 
        

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