Insights > ‘Like a Scene from a Movie’: Team Works Together to Rescue Texas Woman

‘Like a Scene from a Movie’: Team Works Together to Rescue Texas Woman

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06/01/2016

Quick action by Entergy crews from Louisiana working storm duty in Texas last Saturday helped save the life of a woman trapped inside an overturned vehicle partially submerged in floodwaters near New Caney, Texas.

The team of Entergy Louisiana and Entergy New Orleans employees worked together to free the woman from her SUV and helped get her to safety just as the local fire department and paramedics reached the scene. The woman suffered minor injuries in the accident.

John Burks’ team, consisting of 15 Entergy employees from around southeastern Louisiana and accompanied by contractors, was in the New Caney/Porter area north of Houston on Saturday helping restore power after severe storms knocked out electricity to tens of thousands of Entergy Texas customers.

The team had just finished lunch late Saturday afternoon and was starting to assemble for a pre-job briefing when they heard screeching tires and saw an SUV leave the roadway and overturn into a large ditch filled with floodwater.

“We all just took off running toward the vehicle,” Safety Specialist Jimmy C. Smith said. Members of the crew quickly jumped into the chest-deep water and used any tool they could grab to try and free the woman.

“It was like a scene from a movie, but there was no script and nobody flinched. Everybody just jumped into action. It was organized chaos in a way. We were working both sides of the SUV and the hatch trying to get her out,” Smith said.

Every member of the team stepped into a role. One crew member called 911 while others moved a truck into position so it could be used to secure the SUV to keep the vehicle from sinking deeper or floating with the current.

The team members included Burks, Steven Sproles, Colby Painter, Stephen Campbell, Robert Couret, Wayne Kamm, Anthony Palombo, Tyler Smith, Travis Sholar, Branden Morvant, Cleveland Johnson, Derek Ducote, Beau Wattigney, Tommy Greco, Smith and two employees with ABC Professional Tree Services, Nelson Anatiur and Oscar Mendoza.

“No one showed any signs of fear. You would have thought it was natural, the courage they showed. They did everything they could do to save the woman’s life. The bravery of this group was just stellar. But you know I believe if another crew had happened to be there, they would have reacted in the same way,” Smith said.

Sgt. Mike Landrum of the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office praised the men for taking action.  “A lot of people will just stand around and wait for someone else to help. It’s good to see people like your guys at Entergy get involved and help others like that,” he said.

“I’m not surprised our employees would jump into action to save a life,” Dennis Lytle, senior manager of operations and safety for Louisiana, said. It was the third time in the last 12 months that crews from Louisiana have helped save the lives of people involved in serious vehicle accidents, he said.

They are examples of how Entergy employees readily use the lifesaving skills they learn with the company or through their off-time activities – as volunteer firefighters, for instance – to help others, Lytle said.

“If they arrive on the scene of an accident or some other mishap, they aren’t just going to be onlookers. Our employees always have the safety of themselves and the public in mind and will move into action immediately,” Lytle said.