Listen and Look

The light sound of tapping was easy to miss, but it was a cry for help. And two Oklahoma Natural Gas employees were in the right place at the right time to hear it and respond.

Field Customer Service Team Leader Lucas Cypert and then-gas technician trainee Damien Griffith had dispatched to a residence in Jenks, Oklahoma, to complete an aboveground natural gas repair. No one appeared to be home when they knocked. But as they approached the meter, they heard a sound.

At first, Cypert thought it was a cat or dog inside the house. As the sound persisted, he decided to investigate.

A nearby window was blocked by a curtain, but then the curtain moved and Cypert saw fingers tapping. He explained he was from Oklahoma Natural Gas and had come to work on the meter. Then came a woman’s voice. It was difficult to understand what she was saying, but Cypert realized that she was telling him the doors were locked and she needed help.

After confirming they couldn’t get into the house, Cypert called 911. Griffith, who had worked in emergency services prior to joining Oklahoma Natural Gas, kept speaking to the woman, making sure she stayed alert.

After emergency services arrived, Cypert and Griffith learned the woman might have broken her leg. They saw her safely leave with the ambulance and then went back to doing what they were there to do: Ensure her natural gas was working safely.

“Part of our job is to scan for all those things that could go wrong. … Out in the field, we’re always taking care of each other. That also goes for our customers,” said Cypert. “I just encourage all of us to look out for each other.”

“These gentlemen went above and beyond,” said Mark Motter, field customer service supervisor. “We talk a lot about situational awareness in the role that the employees in this department play, and this just proved why that’s so important. It was a very good outcome for what could have been a bad situation. Fortunately, they were aware and took the steps needed to get her some help.”