Bronx, NY: A routine parking lot patrol turned into a life-saving mission at NYC Health + Hospitals/North Central Bronx, when Hospital Police Sergeant Saira Flores administered Narcan to a patient who had overdosed and helped coordinate a rapid medical response that saved the man's life.
Sgt. Flores, who has served at North Central Bronx Hospital for eight years, was conducting her perimeter patrol when a driver attempted to enter the ambulance bay from the wrong direction. As she redirected him, the driver frantically signaled from his window.
“He said that his friend was overdosing and that he wasn't responsive,” Flores recalled. “I ran with him, opened the car door, and the man didn’t seem to be breathing.”
What she saw next sharpened the urgency. “While he’s pulling into the ambulance bay, I saw that he was convulsing — his eyes were rolling back, and he was going back and forth in the car,” she said. “Once I saw that he was convulsing and foam was coming out of his mouth, that was a bit scary.”
Flores immediately asked what the patient had taken, retrieved her department-issued Narcan, and administered the first dose nasally. She simultaneously radioed the ER to dispatch medical staff.
“You spray once, and you wait to see if the person comes to,” she explained. “Once I saw that in the time I waited, he still wasn't responding, I administered it again.”
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Sgt. Flores pictured at the spot where she saved the patient’s life. (Photo courtesy: NYC Health+Hospitals)
Medical staff, including the Director of Nursing, Emergency Department Carlene McLeish, arrived swiftly. Flores briefed them on the two doses administered, and the patient was transferred to the Emergency Department. He later regained consciousness.
“The response of the staff was very, very quick,” Flores said. “There was no need to keep applying Narcan because they got there fast and were able to take over.”
Narcan administration is standard training for North Central Bronx Hospital Police. “We are trained to render aid when necessary,” Flores noted. “Applying Narcan — it's part of the training.”
“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.
“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,” said Alfredo Jones, Chief Operating Officer, North Central Bronx Hospital. “In a matter of seconds, she recognized a life-threatening emergency, applied her training, and gave a patient the chance to survive this incident. We are proud of her many years of dedicated service and grateful that she was on patrol at exactly the right moment.”
During her eight years at the hospital, Sgt. Flores has received several awards during Police Week celebrations.
