Paramedics hail 'hero' boy from Arizona bus crash - story with pic

[Kadie]

Paramedics hail 'hero' boy from Arizona bus crash

Saturday, March 6, 2010

(03-06) 18:31 PST Sacaton, Ariz. (AP) --

A bilingual 4th grader hurt in an Arizona bus accident that killed six people and injured more than a dozen others translated from an ambulance stretcher for busy rescue workers as they hurried to set up a triage center, authorities said Saturday.

Oscar Rodriguez of Las Vegas, Nev., was labeled a hero by firefighters and paramedics for helping them communicate with non-English speaking passengers just after Friday's pre-dawn crash on a busy interstate.

They presented him with gifts and a certificate that reads "Hero of the day" during a visit with him at a Phoenix hospital Saturday.

"This kid stayed calm and was brave more than any other veteran I've worked with," said Kenneth Leslie, a paramedic who with his partner were the first to arrive at the scene.


Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2010/03/06/national/a174342S45.DTL&tsp=1#ixzz0hSKXiuem


Oscar Rodriguez, 11, talks to Gila River paramedics in his room at Maricopa Medical Center in Phoenix, Saturday, March 6, 2010. Oscar, 11-years-old, was a passenger on the bus that overturned and was injured in the accident on Interstate 10 Friday. Despite his injuries, the boy helped paramedics on the scene by translating for patients who didn't speak English. The paramedics were so appreciative of Oscar's efforts that they brought him a fireman's helmet, a jersey and a certificate recognizing his work.

[CurtEastPoint]

1. Great story, and as a former language teacher, everyone should

learn a second language. The US is a bilingual country.

[applegrove]

2. I hope the little guy is less traumatized by the accident for receiving this award. Every little bit

helps a victim of trauma.

[Kali]

3. thanks for posting

something in my eye...