Busways bus driver Rod Burton has been formally thanked by NSW Police after he saved the life of a review officer last October.
Driving his usual route through Erina, Burton noticed Mustafa Erem, a Review Officer with the NSW Police, slumped over at a bus stop. Realising something was wrong, he stopped to check if the man was alright and notified Busways Operations Control Centre to call emergency services and stayed with him until they arrived.
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Medical professionals later confirmed that Burton’s timely intervention was crucial in saving his life.
Superintendent Marc Beckinsale of the Governance Audit and Risk Directorate and Chief Inspector Darrin Gobbe, Mustafa’s direct supervisor, visited Gosford Depot with Mustafa and presented Rod with a formal Certificate of Appreciation.
“Your actions on that day are worthy of merit and formal recognition – they were noteworthy because of the effect it had for us in preserving the life of one of our Police family members,” Beckinsale says.
“We’re very pleased you did what you did, and that Mustafa is still with us.”
Erem lives on the Central Coast with his wife and son, who has a disability. He explains he was unaware he was having a heart attack, but had lost vision and the ability to move, when his ‘guardian angel’ pulled over to help.
“I was alone at the Bunnings bus stop, and all of a sudden, I couldn’t see and couldn’t talk or move and that’s when Rod came and helped,” Erem says.
“When I went to the hospital, they said ‘thank the bus driver, he saved your life’, so that’s what we are doing here today.”
A bus driver for two years, Burton says he saw that Mustafa was in trouble and ‘just did what I normally do and I went to help’.
“I didn’t know who he was or where he worked but when I stopped to see if he was OK, I could see he wanted to communicate but nothing was coming out, and he was turning grey so instinct just kicked in,” Burton says.
“A female passenger also came to help – she had suffered a heart attack previously so recognised some of the signs and we got him to lay down on the ground to improve his blood flow and just reassured him until the ambulance arrived. I’d like to thank the female passenger for her assistance.”
“I am glad that I was able to help. I was doing my duty as a human. I just thought that I must help him at that time, and I am glad that he is fine today and can still be with his family.
“I’m thankful to the NSW Police team for coming here to share their gratitude. If we are all just a bit considerate and try to help each other, we can make the world a better place.”
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