Life Saver Awards
Each year, TDOT managers submit employees who have gone above and beyond during the course of their duties to save a life. The Commissioner honors these employees with the TDOT LifeSaver's Award. HELP Operators are often recipients of this award and we would like to say thank you to them and highlight their achievements.
On Saturday, December 18th, 2021, Hawken Wingate (left) and John Troup (right) responded to an incident involving a vehicle that had crashed into a barrier wall. On their arrival they found a person lying face down with a complete amputation of the leg just below the knee. A bystander had applied a makeshift tourniquet just above the knee, but it was not effective. Hawken and John applied a second tourniquet that stopped the bleeding and then bandaged the wound. Emergency responders from Nashville Fire Department have credited them with saving the victim's life.
On December 8th, 2021, while on patrol in Hamilton County on I-75 southbound around Mile Marker 2, David Peace (left) witnessed a truck traveling in lane 1 suddenly veer to the right across all 4 travel lanes and into the grass shoulder. The truck recovered, returning to the interstate then swerved right again crashing into a guardrail. David stopped and as he approached the vehicle the motorist had a seizure and stopped breathing. By this time, Mike Melasecca (right) had arrived on scene. Both David and Mike removed the driver from the vehicle. They started CPR until the driver started to shallow breathe. A Chattanooga Police Department officer arrived on scene and administered NARCAN while the HELP Operators continued to care for the driver until the Chattanooga Fire Department arrived.
On January 11th, 2022, at around 1600 hours Nick Rozek and Larry Fowler were responding to an incident in Hamilton County. While en route Nick Rozek (right) came upon a second rollover crash on I-75 southbound and the 3.4 Mile Marker. The driver of the vehicle had a serious hand wound from the car roof landing on top of it. Nick radioed Larry Fowler (right) that a tourniquet was needed. Larry arrived on scene and Nick applied the tourniquet. Both operators applied dressings around the wound and cared for the patient until EMS arrived.
October 22, 2022 at 1353 hours Matthew Tipton was dispatched to a black Ford truck, I-40 East, just past the exit to Strawberry Plains. Upon his arrival he noticed the driver slumped over the wheel and notified dispatch to call 911. Matthew knocked on the door, trying to wake the driver but he was unresponsive. Matthew then proceeded to the driver side and opened the door to check his pulse, which was faint. Matthew also noticed the man was struggling to breathe and his lips were turning blue. At this point, he proceeded to notify dispatch of the situation and that he was removing him from the truck to start CPR. He continued to perform solo CPR and breathing for 10 minutes until the Knoxville Fire Department arrived. The paramedics were able to administer NARCAN and get the individual to respond.
In early February of 2023, a "Non-Escalation" training event was held at the Memphis TMC and was attended by a variety of TDOT staff. Shortly following one of the breaks, HELP shift supervisor Adam Smith noticed that one of the attendees was struggling to breathe. He asked if she was choking, and she indicated she was by nodding her head. Adam quickly and calmly got her turned away from the table and performed the Heimlich maneuver, quickly dislodging the item she was choking on, potentially saving her life.
On August 9th while on patrol, TDOT Region 1 HELP Operator Mack Beasley spotted a vehicle on the shoulder and pulled in behind to investigate. Mack quickly realized something was very wrong with the driver and immediately notified emergency medical responders, rendering aid to the victim until their arrival. The victim was transported by ambulance to the nearest trauma center where he was rushed into surgery. According to his attending physician, he would not have survived had it not been for the swift response provided by the emergency medical team and HELP Operator Beasley.
On the evening of September 9th, the Region 3 TMC received a report of a wrong way driver on I-440 driving eastbound in the westbound lanes. HELP Operator Jason Law was on nearby I-24 and, after hearing of the wrong-way driver's location, changed his course to be able to possibly intercept the errant vehicle. With the guidance of TMC technicians, Mr. Law encountered the vehicle on I-440 westbound traveling again eastbound in the westbound lanes. He was able to get the vehicle to stop by blocking it in between his HELP truck and the center median wall. He then approached the vehicle, finding a possible impaired driver. Removing the keys, he secured the vehicle until the police arrived on scene. Mr. Laws quick actions in locating the wrong-way vehicle until the police arrived on scene. Mr. Law's quick actions in locating the wrong-way vehicle, then stopping the vehicle and securing it, prevented a situation that could have injured or even killed several other drivers on the roadway that evening.
On August 4th, Region 4 HELP Operator Stacy Milligan responded to a serious crash at the intersection of Germantown Rd. and I-40 in Memphis. The crash occurred during a driving rainstorm and involved an SUV and a motorcycle; the rider of which was seriously injured. Stacy notified dispatch of the severity of the victim's injuries and summoned another HELP Operator to assist. After securing the incident scene, he provided medical assistance and shelter for the victim using his own raincoat and kept them stable until EMS arrived.
On the afternoon of October 12th, Region 4 HELP Operator Ransom Bowen responded to a truck that appeared to be abandoned on I-240 in Memphis. When he approached the truck, he found a driver laid across the seat who was unresponsive but breathing with his eyes open. Mr. Bowen contacted the TMC and requested emergency medical assistance and prepared to assist the driver, who by this point had stopped breathing. He then pulled the driver from the vehicle, checked vitals, and advised he was beginning CPR. He continued CPR for several minutes until Memphis Fire arrived and took over. The patient was administered NARCAN and began breathing on his own. He was then transported to a local hospital in noncritical condition. Emergency responders on the scene told the HELP Supervisor that HELP Operator Bowen had likely saved the patient's life.