Training Meets The Moment
Training Meets The Moment
Service Specialist James T. and Service Apprentice Nick I., both at PSE&G, had just finished restoring natural gas service to a customer in Jersey City when they heard a commotion.
Leaning on their situational awareness skills, they quickly scanned the area visually and saw that a dog had broken away from his owners and had attacked a young boy.
“It happened about 20 feet from us,” said James. “We immediately jumped in to assist.”
Grabbing latex gloves from their nearby service van, the two men raced over. The dog’s owners had already pulled their dog away, but the child—no more than 4 years old—was bleeding heavily from his hand. While James used pressure to help control the flow of blood, Nick ran back to get the first aid kit from the van. “We used a medical wrap to tightly hold the gauze in place and had the child hold his hand up to help stop the flow of blood to the area,” says James. “I couldn’t have done it alone without Nick’s support.”
Although the child was crying, he started to calm down as the two men worked on the wound and offered comfort. James and Nick then stayed with the child and his caregiver, applying pressure to the wound until his parents arrived and took him to the local hospital.
Both James and Nick leaned on PSE&G’s appliance service technician training, which includes CPR and first aid and is conducted biannually. “As part of our training, we learn how important it is to stay calm under pressure,” says James. “Although this was a unique situation, the same principle applied, and it really helped the situation. Emotions were high. We were able to step in and offer support, both in first aid and also offering a sense of calm and composure that helped everyone.”
“I take pride in knowing we jumped in to help someone,” adds Nick, “especially as the little boy was hurt and scared, and we were able to help calm him down and provide the first aid he needed after the incident.”
According to the company, PSE&G is committed to the safety, security and well-being of its employees and communities. “We are always striving to put our customers first and keep them at the heart of what we do and who we are,” says James. “Being able to provide comfort and first aid to a child in need is embedded in our culture and part of supporting the well-being of our communities when they need us most.”