When Bus Operator Travis Noel woke up to start his day, he definitely didn’t expect that he might save someone from choking later that day. But, that’s exactly what happened.

On Sept. 20, during his morning R5 Hastings St RapidBus route, Travis pulled into a bus stop at Hastings Street and Nanaimo Street with a bus full of passengers. That’s when he noticed a woman in distress on the sidewalk.

“A woman approached the front door, which was closed since it was a full load,” says Travis. “I thought she was just trying to get on the bus, but she made signals with her hands across her throat, indicating that she was choking.”

Once Travis recognized the woman was choking, he parked the bus and stepped out to help.

“The first thing that went through my mind was – I hope I can do the Heimlich manoeuvre to help her,” he says.

The Heimlich manoeuvre is part of a choking rescue procedure that is used to forcibly clear an obstruction that has completely blocked someone’s airway.

“I hadn’t done it before, but I learned the Heimlich manoeuvre in my high school first aid class,” says Travis. “Thankfully, after a few attempts, I was able to clear what was stuck, and the woman was able to catch her breath.”

“I was surprised how well it worked and how calmly I was able to handle the situation.”

Travis has been an operator with Coast Mountain Bus Company for just about six months, which makes it even more impressive that he was able to respond to this situation in such a calm, cool, and collected manner.

“I am proud of Travis for not hesitating, and for taking control of the situation and saving this women’s life,” says Bill Pellatt, Travis’s supervisor, congratulating Travis for jumping into action.

Travis adds, “I had such a big sense of relief when I got back on the bus. It was also nice to be thanked by some customers for what I did.”

Once the woman was settled, a bus passenger offered to stay with her to call for medical help. After the incident, the passenger contacted CMBC with words of praise.

They said, “The driver was very calm and kind… The driver might have saved her life.”

Travis acknowledges that this incident could have turned out very differently if he wasn’t in the right place at the right time.

“I’m proud that I was able to help and that I happened to be there just at that right time,” says Travis. “When I got home from work, and my wife asked me how my day was, I said ‘Well, I forgot my phone at home, and I did the Heimlich manoeuvre on someone. She didn’t believe me at first!”