A Bronx hospital cop is being hailed a hero for jumping into life-saving action during a routine parking-lot patrol when a driver with a convulsing passenger wildly barreled into an ambulance bay.
Sgt. Saira Flores, an eight-year veteran of North Central Bronx Hospital in Norwood, was performing a typical perimeter canvas of the site Jan. 5 when the motorist raced through the ambulance bay from the wrong direction.
“While he’s pulling into the ambulance bay, I saw that [his passenger] was convulsing — his eyes were rolling back, and he was going back and forth in the car,” Flores recalled, noting the telltale signs of a drug overdose.
The sergeant ran over and quickly administered a dose of department-issued Narcan to the convulsing man and radioed the emergency room to send medical staff.
“We are trained to render aid when necessary,” Flores said of her heroic action. “Applying Narcan — it’s part of the training.”
The patient was transferred swiftly to the emergency department, where he regained consciousness – which hospital workers attribute in no small part to Flores’ quick-thinking.
“Sergeant Flores turned a routine patrol into a lifesaving mission, reminding us that in moments of crisis, one act of courage can change everything,” said Jose Nunez, assistant chief of Hospital Police, North Central Bronx Hospital.
Alfredo Jones, CEO of North Central Bronx Hospital, added in a statement, “Sgt. Flores’s decisive action is an example of the high standard of care North Central Bronx Hospital Police officers bring to this community every day.”
“In a matter of seconds, she recognized a life-threatening emergency, applied her training, and gave a patient the chance to survive this incident,” he said. “We are proud of her many years of dedicated service and grateful that she was on patrol at exactly the right moment.”
Flores, who is slated to be feted with the hospitals’ Good Catch Award, has already received a slew of other honors over her tenure – including several recognitions during Police Week celebrations.
