TRANSECURE Outstanding Call of the Month
Please join Transit, Police, Fire, and Ottawa Paramedics in congratulating and thanking our TRANSECURE Employees of the Month for their quick response and concern for others.
2019
October
Outstanding Call Winner — Para Operator John
On a rainy afternoon of October 22, Para Operator John witnessed an elderly woman fall near Montreal Road and Bradley Avenue. He immediately pulled over to help her and call paramedics. Operator John stayed with the woman who was not a para customer. He cared for her by bringing her on board the bus so she would be comfortable until EMS arrived.
Thanks to Para Operator John for showing kindness and compassion toward a resident in need of help.
September
Outstanding Call Winner — Bus Operator Bruce
Around 5 pm, on opening day of the O-Train Line 1, Bus Operator Bruce was off duty on the platform at Rideau Station when a mother approached him looking for her lost child. Operator Bruce stayed with the mother and helped her remain calm while OC Transpo staff helped locate her 11-year-old son.
Special Constables were on the trains and platforms in both directions searching for the child. A Sergeant located the lost child on the eastbound platform at St. Laurent Station and stayed with him until he was able to be safely returned. Operator Bruce maintained control and helped the mother board the eastbound train to St. Laurent Station to be reunited with her child.
Thanks to Operator Bruce for showing empathy and helping a customer during an overwhelming situation.
August
Outstanding Call Winner — Bus Operator Timothy
Just after 5 am on August 4, Operator Timothy helped save a life. A woman entered Orléans Station, yelling and distraught. The woman laid down on the transitway and then ran across the road and began to climb the fence which separated the transitway from Highway 174. Operator Timothy ran after her and was able to prevent her from climbing over the fence until Ottawa Police arrived. Upon arrival officers were able to bring the woman down from the fence safely and transport her to the hospital for medical assessment.
Thanks to Operator Timothy’s fast action, a woman with the intent of ending her life, was safely and without injury, provided with necessary medical attention.
July
Outstanding Call Winner — Bus Operator John
On July 16th, Bus Operator John was driving the 95 Route to Baseline Station when a distressed mother with three children got on the bus and asked for assistance. The woman disclosed she was fleeing from an allegedly abusive spouse who she suspected was following her. She was seeking transportation to a women’s shelter. Operator John called in for assistance right away, and Transit Special Constables were able to meet the woman and her kids when the bus arrived at Baseline Station. Ottawa Police Services were called to assist the mother and her children.
Thanks to John’s assistance, a family was able to access the support they required in their time of need.
June
Outstanding Call Winner — Bus Operator Rob
On June 9, just before 5 pm, Operator Rob observed a car swerving all over the road and called in a suspected drunk driver. The Ottawa Police Service (OPS) responded and the vehicle was promptly located and pulled over. The driver was arrested and charged under the Criminal Code for operating while impaired.
Rob was more than a witness, he took immediate action to prevent a potentially dangerous situation for the motorist and the public. OPS commended Operator Rob on outstanding duty to the public for recognizing a potential impaired driver.
May
Outstanding Call Winner — Operator Steve
On May 29 at 10 pm, Operator Steve found a teenager unconscious inside the bus shelter at Carlingwood Mall. Noticing she had a hospital bracelet, Operator Steve took initiative by quickly calling for medical assistance. He remained with the teen until Ottawa Police Services and EMS arrived. Paramedics determined this young person required immediate medical treatment and was transported to a nearby hospital. Thanks to Operator Steve’s intervention, the young woman received timely life-saving medical treatment.
April
Outstanding Call Winner — Para Transpo Operator Louise
Upon arrival at a scheduled trip, Para Transpo Operator Louise witnessed the client being assaulted. Thinking fast, Operator Louise quickly transferred and sheltered the distressed passenger on board the bus and immediately left the area. Louise found a safe place to stop, pulled over and consoled the non-verbal client who was crying uncontrollably. Louise then drove to the scheduled destination where they were soon met by Ottawa Police Service (OPS) who transported the passenger to the hospital. The Elder Abuse Section of OPS took over the file and laid an assault charge against the suspect involved in this case.
Louise showed exceptional care and consideration in comforting and communicating with the client. She did everything in her power to protect and advocate for her passenger ensuring her safety and well-being.
March
Outstanding Call Winner — Bus Operator Fred
Bus Operator Fred was driving Route #97 on March 1 when a mother on board alerted Fred about the well-being of her three-year old child. The little girl was falling in and out of consciousness. Fred acted quickly, finding a safe location where he could stop the bus. He immediately called the Transit Operations Control Centre requesting assistance. Fred provided first aid to the unconscious child, while keeping the mother calm on board the bus until Transit Special Constables and Paramedics arrived. The mother and daughter were transported by ambulance to the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario for treatment.
Fred’s quick attention and first aid ensured a child received urgent medical care in a timely manner.
February
Outstanding Call Winner —Garage Supervisor Matt
On February 21 at 9:30 am, off-duty Garage Supervisor Matt was on his way home when he noticed smoke and flames coming from a nearby house. Matt acted quickly by first calling 9-1-1 while approaching the front door of the home. He banged on the door and windows to alert any residents inside, there was no response. Moving back to the road he spoke to a neighbour passing by and learned there was a family of 5 occupying the residence. Noticing a car in the driveway that was recently cleared of snow, Matt made the decision to enter the house. Testing the front door, it was unlocked. He was able to enter the smoke-filled house to find an occupant sleeping upstairs. Matt woke up the resident to help them safely exit the house. The resident told Matt there may be another family member in the house, so he checked the entire house – under beds and in bathrooms – to ensure there were no other occupants.
When the fire department arrived, Matt was asked if he wanted to help further. Grabbing a shovel, as instructed by fire services, he proceeded to dig out the fire hydrant buried under snow. All of this happened on Matt’s 41st birthday, making it a birthday he is unlikely to forget. Thanks to Matt’s vigilance, his good deed and steadfast persistence, a dangerous situation was avoided.January
Outstanding Call Winner — Bus Operator Robbie
During the afternoon of January 8th, Bus Operator Robbie was driving the #14 Route when he noticed a woman who appeared to be unconscious in the snow at Preston Street and Gladstone Avenue. Robbie immediately stopped his bus, and tried to wake her up with the help of bystanders. When the woman would not wake up, Robbie took action and promptly called the Transit Operations Control Centre. Emergency Medical Services and Ottawa Police Services soon arrived to care for the women, who they determined was heavily intoxicated. EMS transported her to the hospital for help.
Thank you Robbie for playing an active role in keeping our community safe.
2018
December
Outstanding Call Winner — Para Transpo Operator Grant
On December 18, at approximately 4:00pm, on-duty Para Transpo Operator Grant was in the parking lot at Carlingwood Shopping Center when he saw a woman, who appeared to have been struck by a vehicle, hurt and in distress on the ground. As he began to approach, Grant realized the women was being dragged, by her hair, by a man. While witnessing the attack, Grant notified Transit Operations Communications Center of the ongoing event. The man fled by car and Grant immediately approached the woman to see if she needed help. Grant helped the woman onto his bus and was able to provide safety and shelter to her and two witnesses until a Transit Supervisor and Ottawa Police arrived. Once on scene, Ottawa Police took over care and investigation of the woman and the situation.
Thanks to Grant’s calm and immediate approach, the woman remained safe from further harm and police were able to conduct their investigation. Thank you Grant for playing an active role in keeping our community safe.
November
Outstanding Call Winner — Bus Mechanic Kenton
On the afternoon of November 15, Bus Mechanic Kenton was on the road testing a bus near Terminal Station when he saw a woman and two small children on the side of the road, near a parked car. Kenton stopped and asked her if she needed help. The woman had been in the cold with her children for 30 minutes while her boyfriend had gone to get antifreeze for their stalled car. Kenton brought the mother and her children onto the bus to keep warm while they waited. When her boyfriend returned, Kenton helped him get the car started and saw them on their way.
Thanks to Kenton the family was kept warm and able to continue their journey safely. Thank you Kenton for showing great compassion and helping community members in need.
October
Outstanding Call Winner — Bus Operator Franco
On the afternoon of October 15, bus operator Franco was driving through Elmvale Station on Route 40 St-Laurent when he noticed a young boy standing alone in the road. With the help of a passenger, Franco brought the boy onto the bus for safety. It was clear the child was alone, so Franco called the Transit Operations Control Centre who dispatched Transit Special Constables Unit and Ottawa Police Service. Ottawa Police had received a Missing Person’s Report for child with a similar description. Once on site, they took over care of the child and returned him to his nearby home, much to the relief of his parents.
Thanks to Franco’s kindness and quick action, he helped bring this family back together.
September
Outstanding Call Winner — Para Transpo Operator Jean-Marc
On the morning of September 10, during Para Transpo Operator Jean-Marc’s shift, he noticed a man on the sidewalk appearing to have a seizure. Jean-Marc immediately pulled over and called the Transit Operations Control Centre to contact 9-1-1. Jean-Marc administered First Aid to the man until the paramedics arrived to provide care.
Para Transpo Operator Jean-Marc’s keen sense of observation and immediate actions enabled him to help keep the man safe until the paramedics arrived. Thank you Jean-Marc for being the eyes on the road and helping members of the community when they need it the most.
August
Outstanding Call Winner — Bus Operator Kenneth
On the morning of Friday, August 24, Bus Operator Kenneth was at Lees Station waiting to start his next trip, when two men approached his bus seeking help. One of the men asked Kenneth to call 9-1-1 for the other man, who he had found confused and wading into the Rideau River. Kenneth’s bus was the closest point to the nearby river where the men could seek assistance. Both men boarded the bus for shelter, as Kenneth called the Transit Operations Control Centre for assistance.
Paramedics arrived and transported the man to a local hospital for assessment and care.
Thanks to Kenneth for being a helping hand to members of the community when they need it most.
July
Outstanding Call Winner — Bus Operator Kyle
Bus Operator Kyle was completing Route 82 late at night on July 21, when he observed a female passenger board his bus. Kyle noticed the passenger appeared to be heavily intoxicated and had a young child with her. Operator Kyle immediately contacted the Transit Operations Control Centre. Soon after, Special Constables and Ottawa Police met Kyle on route to ensure the child and the female passenger’s safety. The female passenger was taken to hospital for assessment.
Thanks to Operator Kyle’s keen observation and rapid actions, a child was kept safe from a potentially dangerous situation. Thank you for being the eyes of the community.
June
Outstanding Call Winner — Bus Operator Mandy
In the early hours of June 5, Bus Operator Mandy was completing Route 18 at St-Laurent Station when a male customer approached her bus looking for help. He advised her that a male customer was harassing him on the platform.
Mandy immediately invited the man who was being harassed onto her bus, and called the Transit Operations Control Centre for assistance. Special Constables were quickly dispatched to the scene and were able to conduct their investigation and deal with the suspect.
Thanks to Mandy’s intuition and keen sense of observation, a potentially dangerous situation was diffused for customer in need.
May
Outstanding Call Winner — Bus Operator Allan
On May 10, Bus Operator Allan was driving Route 62 in the west end of the city when he noticed a 12-year-old boy travelling alone on his bus. The boy appeared lost and disoriented. Concerned for the child’s safety, Operator Allan reported this to the Transit Operations Control Centre. A Transit Supervisor and Transit Special Constables were dispatched and met the bus at Bayshore Station. Upon arrival, it was discovered that the boy had been reported “missing” to the Ottawa Police Service earlier that afternoon. Police arrived soon after to take custody of the boy, and were able to reunite him with his family.
Thanks to Allan’s observation and quick actions, this situation was resolved quickly and compassionately.
April
Outstanding Call Winner — Bus Operator Jatinder
On April 26th just after noon, Operator Jatinder was completing Route 91 near the University of Ottawa when he noticed a customer having a seizure on his bus. He immediately secured his vehicle and calmly went to help the customer. Once the customer was safe, Operator Jatinder notified the Transit Operations Control Centre of the incident. The Control Centre quickly dispatched Transit Law and a Transit Supervisor, and notified paramedics. When paramedics arrived on the scene, the customer was conscious and was transported to the hospital for further treatment.
Thanks to Operator Jatinder’s attentiveness, quick action and caring nature, he was able to help a passenger in need and ensure he received the medical attention that was required.
March
Outstanding Call Winner — Bus Operator Larry
On the morning of March 9, just after Bus Operator Larry had dropped passengers off at his first stop on Route 87, he noticed a man collapse on the ground near the former Sears building. After safely securing his bus, Larry immediately ran over to see if the man was ok and quickly noticed he was turning blue. Knowing how grave the situation was, Larry ran back to his bus and called the Transit Operations Control Centre, who then contacted paramedics. After hanging up the phone, Larry ran back to the man and checked for a pulse, but was not able to find one. As Larry was preparing to start CPR, a fire truck arrived on-site and a firefighter ran up to help. Soon after, paramedics arrived and took over the situation.
Thanks to Larry’s actions and ability to react in a stressful situation, he was able to help a man in desperate need.
February
Outstanding Call Winner — Bus Operator Bruce
On February 19, Bus Operator Bruce had finished his Route 11 shift and was standing at the traffic signal outside of the Rideau Centre, waiting to cross the Mackenzie King Bridge. A teenage girl bumped into Bruce’s shoulder on her way by and stepped in front of oncoming traffic. A bus and a car had to break suddenly to avoid coming into contact with the young girl. Bruce felt something was wrong, so he kept a close eye on her as he crossed the bridge. Just then, the girl began to climb onto the edge of the bridge. Bruce ran towards her and yelled to get the attention of onlookers. As the girl was about to jump, Bruce was able to grip her arm and prevent it from happening. Bus Operator Sharon was also on location at the time and witnessed everything. Together, Sharon and Bruce lifted the girl back over the railing to safety. Bruce then asked a bystander to call 9-1-1. Because Bruce and Sharon immediately jumped into action, a young girl was saved from a potentially tragic situation.
January
Outstanding Call Winner — Operator Frank
During the early afternoon of January 16, Operator Frank was completing Route 7 on Rideau Street when he noticed a man in distress. The man appeared to be crawling across Rideau Street and urgently needed help. Operator Frank immediately pulled over and proceeded to help the man get safely onboard his bus. Frank then called the Transit Operations Control Centre for support.
Paramedics arrived shortly after and provided the medical assistance the man required.
Thanks to Frank’s immediate action and calm approach, the man received care and was saved from a dangerous situation.