Heroes in Locating

[Wingfoot]

USIC has a new program: Count on ME.

This is just a sample of some of the HEROES IN LOCATING!

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Jay Clark

I would like to pass along a story that Jay Clark shared with me.

He was in Muncie doing a locate and heard what sounded like a child crying. He completed his last ticket and clocked out and started to leave but still heard this child. So Jay walked around following the cries to find a child pounding on the door to his house crying mommy let me in. The school bus had dropped off this little boy and he was unable to get into his home. Seeing the frantic child, Jay wanted to help. Jay asked the boy what is your name. and sat down and calmed him down. Jay has 3 small children of his own and understood how devastating this situation could be on a small child. After claming him down, Jay knocked on the neighbors door. The neighbor was able to help this small child contact his mother. Jay stayed to make sure he was safe, with his mother. Jay could have easily just left the scene. After all he was on his own time, but he was called to help. I thanked Jay for staying until his mother appeared. I truly believe Jay was called to be at that situation at that time for that little boy.

Awesome job Jay Clark!

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Sam Roe

9-11-08

West Florida

On September 11th 2008, Samuel Roe, an employee of Central Locating Service WFL District, was on the side of SR 60 out front of Quest Diagnostics in Lake Wales Florida. Sam was in his truck completing out the computer work on a ticket. Sam had noticed 2 men standing out front of Quest Diagnostics while he was completing his work. All of a sudden, one of the men just fell down. Sam then noticed a crowd gathering around him. Sam then got out of his truck and asked if every- thing ok. He heard some one scream “CALL 911!! HELP!! HE’s NOT BREATHING!!” Sam immediately ran over and pushed his way through the crowd to get to the man on the ground. Sam then saw that the man was unresponsive and not breathing. He immediately began to administer CPR. Sam continued administering CPR until the Emergency Medical Technicians arrived on site and took over.



According to the EMT’s, Sam’s quick response of administering CPR is what saved this man’s life.



No one in the crowd of people surrounding the man got involved to help this man. Sam said he even heard a lady say to some one “lets go and not get involved in this”. Well I am proud to say, as I am sure this gentleman and his family are also, that I am glad that Sam got involved!! Had Sam not decided to get involved who knows what could have been this mans fate. That is a big problem with society today, everybody wants to be a bystander and no one wants to jump in and help. If this world had a few more Sam Roe’s, it would be a better place!!



SAMUEL ROE - I TRULY THANK YOU FOR YOUR ACT OF HEROICS!!

[yahoo]

well done brethern!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[phoenix827]

Nice going guys!!

[wet_boots101]

Grats to everyone who got chosen to be nominated. It is nice that your sups or whomever are paying attention.

On the other hand, it aggravates the piss out of me that I do stuff like this EVERY WEEK and nobody ever seems to notice. WAH-WAH-WAH!

I am sure this is not an unusual circumstance, either. So, in recognition of all you unsung locators out there, please join me in patting ourselves on the back for all you do in improving the world and keeping people safe!

Take THAT, count on me awards! Fooey on corporate guys with too much time on their hands!

(PS - I didn't mean I like, give CPR every week - just bring to light stuff that has gone un-noticed. Like leaky gas regulators and leaking transformers is all.)

[ifinditunderground]

It's good to know at least some of the guys doing these deeds are being recognized, even if we can't all be.

[sprayandpray]

I especially like the ones where something is wrong with a Transformer that might be considered dangerous and the locator remains on scene until the utility arrives. Hell, here in DFW you might be spending the night!

[Wingfoot]

A USIC Hero in Houston!

Mitch Emmons - USIC Locator

Houston, Texas

I would like to recommend Jonathan (Mitch) Emmons for a 'Count on Me' award. I would go into detail why I think he is an exemplary employee and asset to the USIC organization, but I feel my words would sound hollow compared to the statement from Rebecca below. I can not tell you how proud I am to have him on my team.

Regards,

SW

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From: Becca A.
Sent: Monday, October 13, 2008 11:20 PM
To: Scott Woerner
Subject: Your Employee

Dear Mr. Woener,

I got your name from your web site since the company name is different than the name on the side of your employee's truck.

Late at night, on September 13, the day after Ike hit, I was headed to Waco and got a flat tire on Hwy 71 just south of Columbus. I pulled off the road and accidentally got stuck on the side of the road. I tried for some time to wave someone down but no one would stop. After hours of trying to wave someone down, your employee stopped to help me. He was in a white truck with a camper shell. I wrote down the plate number but have since misplaced it, and I can't remember his name. I think he said Michael or Marshall; something like that.

He did not have the tools to change my tire, but did have 2 cans of fix-a-flat which he put in my tire. He followed me 10 miles to make sure I got to the safety of the McDonald's parking lot in Columbus. I lost my purse in Waco, so he went into the closest gas station, bought us some water and some snacks for my 6 year old daughter. He told us to wait there while he went home to get his tools. He returned about 40 minutes later in a small red Ford 2 door car. He gave us sandwiches, a few cans of Dr. Pepper and a stuffed butterfly for my daughter!

He took off the fix-a-flat tire and put on the spare, which we soon learned was also flat. He called a friend, went to his house with both flat tires and returned with both inflated.

Now if the story ended there that would be enough - but it doesn't. He gave me his cell phone number and said that if I needed any more help to call, any time of night. Am I glad he did. I got 15 miles down the road and ran out of gas! I called him, he brought 5 gallons of gas in a can and he followed us back to the same gas station. He put another 10 gallons in the tank, filled the 5 gallon gas can and gave that to us as well.

I have never met anyone like him. He said he was working with the power company fixing poles and was on his way home after working all day. But still he stopped to help us out, at a time we needed help the most. I called him the next day to repay him for all he did, but he refused. I saw a truck just like his today and wrote down the company name. That gave me a company to write to so you could know what a special employee you have. Please thank him again for me. I do not know how that night would have turned out had he not gone out of his way to help out a single mother and child. I will never forget what he did for us, and I hope you realize what an asset he is.

Sincerely,

Rebecca and Kayleigh

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P.S. - Wingfoot just got a warm fuzzy feeling!

[locate_this_will_ya]

You know some of these "awards" are legit but the others are bull sh*t. I dont have the email any more cuz I deleted it but there was a award for some guy who had a big project with alot of High profile locates on it. He worked with his contractor and communicated with him every day and nothing got damaged.....What the hell! Most of us do that every day. So I would like to give all the locators (who do there job without whinning about it, who stay out in the rain while the others are at home because its to wet out, who dont call in sick when they have some shity tickets due the next day, and who dont call there sup or ME!!!!!! every time they have some high profile locate to do and give some lame ass excuse that there locator wont locate the high profile line!!!!!!)an award. So heres to all of you who make locators look good

[phoenix827]

Locate this, I thing you jast patted the back of everyone on here!! And I agree!!

[sprayandpray]

You know these 'awards' are being used in place of a bone-us, don't ya? When your review comes around I hear you will get a 'Participation' Trophy instead of $$$!

[Wingfoot]

You know these 'awards' are being used in place of a bone-us, don't ya?

Spray - I respectfully disagree.....

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Andy Owen & Albert Campillo - USIC Locators

Central Florida

On October 23, 2008 Andy Owen & Albert Campillo were conducting a locate on Curryford Rd. Albert was parked on the north side and Andy was parked on the south side. After Albert set his cones, a car stopped on this busy road approximately 10' ahead of his truck.

Albert witnessed an approaching car at a high rate of speed and stepped back from the road. To avoid the car standing still in the street, the approaching car jumped the medium into on-coming traffic.

Going at least 60 mph, this car was T-boned, pushed into a second car, then hit head-on by a third car. Albert & Andy immediately responded by calling 911, giving aid to the injured people and directing traffic to the best of their ability. Traffic was maneuvering around this major accident and no one else stopped to help.

The car that jumped the medium had a lady trapped inside. Albert considered getting her out but didn't because of the lady's injuries and the severe damage to the car. Albert & Andy helped a lady with a two week old baby out of their car to safety. The third car had an older lady in it. Andy and Albert carefully took her out of the car and placed her at a safer location. The arriving paramedics airlifted the critically injured women that was trapped in her car to the hospital. All others involved were transported for medical help.

Rescuers said the quick action of calling 911, directing them to the fastest route to the accident site and the assistance performed by Albert & Andy may have saved the life of the lady who was trapped in the car.

Andy & Albert did what they thought anyone else would do in this situation but we were proven wrong. Rescuers couldn't believe that no one else stopped to help.

[phoenix827]

Andy & Albert did what they thought anyone else would do in this situation but we were proven wrong. Rescuers couldn't believe that no one else stopped to help.

Sorry, I drove truck for 15 years, and live by Hartford, CT. I am not a BIT surprised no-one else stopped!!! Glad to hear they did everything they could to help!!!

[Wingfoot]

Tony Dale - USIC Locator

Kentucky

I was headed home Friday afternoon December the 19th around 5:00 PM. I noticed a car that was stalled in the intersection of Peachtree and Bluegrass Ave. It had flames coming from underneath.

A young lady and her young child was still in the vehicle. I put my strobe lights on and parked my truck to block the intersection. I ran to the vehicle and told the lady to get out because it had flames underneath. She said she couldn't because her seat belt was stuck. I opened the rear door and cut off the seat belt from around the child's car seat. I took the whole car seat and child to put them inside my truck so the child wouldn't be harmed. I ran back to the burning car, cut her seat belt and pulled her out of the flaming vehicle.

The fire dept and police arrived as the car became completely engulfed in flames. Then the gas tank exploded. The lady had some minor burns on her legs from the flames under the floor boards, but the child was unharmed. I used my cones to block off the area around the vehicle so no one would be harmed.

I used my first aid kit to administer medical attention to the burns on her legs. I sat with her and her child until the ambulance came. The paramedics asked who administered the medical treatment to her, I said I did. I was once an EMT.

Her husband arrived shortly after and thanked me numerous times for my help. The fire dept put the flames out and I moved my truck and cones and proceeded home.

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What makes this story special, this incident happened on a Friday night when Tony was going home. By Monday, Tony was back to work and put the Friday's event as a forgotten memory; probably thinking it was no big deal - having saved lives before while being an EMT. It was the husband and father of the 2 lives saved that called the USIC's district office to thank Tony again that made management aware of our Locating Hero. Wingfoot got that warm & fuzzy again.............

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[ohlocator]

I recieved one of CLS'S first Sharpshooter awards. All I got was a flop hat with the company logo, And a signed letter where even after five years with the company they couldn't spell my last name right (and it's only a four letter name!) and of course it was completely forgotten when my next review came around.

[Wag]

I'm feeling somewhat like you, ohlocator. But it is understandable that, no matter what a huge company w/ thousands of employees might say, it's impossible to treat every employee like an individual when there's just too many... Decisions don't usually come from immediately above you, and those higher-ups which decide your pay, rewards, etc. don't know your work history as intimately as your supe.