Local lifesaver
Quick action by bus driver helps avert tragedy
By Larry Meyer
Argus Observer
LarryM@argusobserver.com
Saturday, September 19, 2009 11:15 PM PDT
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| Larry Meyer | Argus Observer
Area firefighters stage on the roadway in front a building on North Oregon Street Tuesday morning. An alert call from resident Sheri Tiedeman helped emergency crews respond to the blaze before it damaged more property. |
ONTARIO—Being in the right place at the right time is becoming something of a habit for Ontario resident Sheri Tiedeman.
Last week, Tiedeman, who drives bus for the Ontario School District, alerted local emergency service agencies about a fire on North Oregon Street.
Her actions certainly averted disaster for some local residents, Ontario Fire & Rescue firefighter Allen Montgomery said.
“Because she called about the fire, she saved a life,” he said.
Friday Ontario Fire & Rescue honored Tiedeman for her fast action in the middle of a crisis. Firefighters presented her with a certificate of appreciation at the Ontario School District’s bus garage. Tiedman was driving along North Oregon Street when she noticed flames behind some homes in the 1500 block.
“I saw a burn barrel, and it looked like fire had fallen out.” she said. “It looked like a line of fire was moving behind the houses.”
Tiedeman called in the fire, but then wondered if she should have stopped and banged on doors. In the dark she couldn’t tell how close the fire was to the homes, she said.
She was told later, though, that a police officer was in the area who alerted homeowners.
“I felt better,” she said.
Montgomery said just having her call in was enough.
“Because she called about the fire she saved a life,” he said. “We don’t think they would have made it out if she had not called it in.”
This is not Tiedeman’s first bus driving job, nor her first commendation. She drove school bus for 10 years down in California, and, in the first five years, she receive a commendation for preventing the probable kidnapping of one of the her riders, a girl. Tiedeman said she noticed a man in a car following the bus, and he followed them right up to the house. She escorted the student to her door and notified the father of what was happening. Their follower, seeing what she did, took off with the father of child in hot pursuit, during which the police also got involved, Tiedeman said. Having driven school bus for nearly 25 years, Tiedeman said she didn’t expect it to become a longtime occupation.
“It keeps me in touch with the young people,” she said.
She drives a high school and middle school route and a Pioneer Elementary School route. When not driving bus, she likes to refinish antiques and make jewelry.
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Jillian wrote on Sep 21, 2009 9:52 PM: