Four EM Savannah River Site (SRS) employees have been recognized this year for acting as both first responders and good Samaritans.
Office of Environmental Management
April 2, 2019
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AIKEN, S.C. – Four EM Savannah River Site (SRS) employees have been recognized this year for acting as both first responders and good Samaritans.
Scarlet Jones and Michael Hall, both Savannah River Remediation (SRR) tank farm operators, jumped into action on a January morning carpool ride to work when they discovered an overturned car on a sparsely traveled road onsite. SRR is EM’s liquid waste contractor at SRS.
Jones dialed 911 while Hall assessed the driver’s injuries and ensured he was stable. They stayed with the injured individual until site emergency medical services technicians and law enforcement arrived.
Jones and Hall credited their actions to training given at SRS, which enabled them to take the necessary actions during an emergency.
“The biggest takeaway from this incident for me is the importance of wearing a seat belt,” Hall said. “Every item — cell phone, lunch, bookbag — was thrown from that car except for the driver. Seat belts really do save lives.”
Rodney Walker, an SRR senior project advisor, was in his office when a coworker approached him for discussion. Walker immediately noticed the employee was not acting well, showing signs of blurred vision and dizziness. After Rodney helped the employee to a desk, he called the onsite emergency number. The employee was transported to an offsite hospital and was recovering from vasovagal syncope, a sudden drop in heart rate.
Kevin Brotherton is an SRR waste treatment engineer and volunteers as a community first responder. Last summer, he responded to a woman offsite in need of medical attention. Her breathing stopped while Brotherton was giving her oxygen and monitoring her pulse. He initiated CPR, which restarted her heart by the time the ambulance got there. When the woman arrived at the hospital, she regained consciousness and eventually fully recovered.
SRR President and Project Manager Tom Foster awarded all four employees with lifesaving awards at senior executive meetings.
“There are heroes all among us at Savannah River Remediation,” Foster said. “Some of it is about being in the right place at the right time, but it’s also very much about knowing the right ways to respond to emergencies safely and efficiently. I am proud of all our employees who have demonstrated the courage to step in and step up in those moments when they were needed the most.”