WCDC Associates’ Training Critical in Saving Co-Worker’s Life

When associates began arriving for their morning shift at the West Coast Distribution Center, no one could have known that their actions over the next few minutes would be crucial in saving a co-worker’s life.

It started at 6:58 a.m. April 8 when warehouse worker Andrea Sandoval noticed a teammate who felt faint and helped her to the floor. Quickly, Foreman Laura Zamora arrived to comfort the associate, followed by Loss Prevention Manager Damon Jackson, Assistant Loss Prevention Manager Thomas Mlady and Occupational Health Nurse Amy Dharawat.

They took lifesaving actions until paramedics arrived. About 18 minutes after the incident began, the associate was on the way to a hospital in Stockton, Calif.

Pictured from left: Lauren Zamora, Damon Jackson, Thomas Mlady and Amy Dharawat were instrumental in helping to save an associate’s life at the West Coast Distribution Center. Not pictured: Andrea Sandoval.

“The EMTs told us and the doctor later confirmed that without the actions of those teammates, the outcome could have been much different,” West Coast Distribution Center Manager Kent Altom said.

Altom thanked several of those involved during a virtual recognition ceremony.

Dharawat said she had never before had to respond to a situation like that outside of a hospital setting, but associates capably handled the incident thanks to enhanced medical training put in place in 2019.

“More than 60 associates from all areas have been trained, including janitors and senior leadership,” Dharawat said. “We were ready. I’m really glad Thomas was there. He knew exactly what to do and we were able to stabilize the patient until EMTs arrived.”

Mlady was just arriving to work when a security guard told him what happened.

“There was no panic, there was no indecision. Everybody did what they were supposed to do,” Mlady said.

Altom said everything came down to timing, from the associates’ responses to the arrival of the ambulance.

“We hear it over and over about how to react and what to do when a life-threatening situation happens in front of you,” he said. “It’s one thing to know what to do. It takes something else entirely to have the courage to take action.”