This was on the front page of my Outlook today.

Beaver Operators save Disoriented Woman

In the frigid, early morning hours of Jan. 3, operators Rick Hoopes and Cheryl Salamone were plowing drifted snow from routes in their section.

While traveling, Salamone thought she saw something very odd; a woman walking along the roadway—in only a swim suit!  Knowing that Hoopes was nearby, Salamone radioed for assistance noting that the air temperature gauge in her truck indicated 4 degrees with a road temperature of -9 degrees—bitter cold. And with winds predicted at 15-25 mph, she knew this was a life-threatening situation.

Salamone turned her truck around and located the woman on the side of the road walking around incoherently only partially dressed with no shoes on. Hoopes arrived in his truck, as did others in a crew cab vehicle. Together, they helped get the woman inside, giving her their jackets and vests along with extra outer clothing from the crew cab’s back seat. They wrapped the woman in the clothing, attempting to help warm her.  Beaver County 911 was contacted to dispatch an ambulance and police to the location.  Upon the arrival of medical personnel and the police to take over care and transport of the woman to an emergency facility, both operators returned to their respective routes, knowing that they probably averted a tragedy this frigid night.

All in a day’s work for these dedicated public servants.

Note: Details about the woman or why she was walking along the roadway are not known.