Saving lives is becoming routine for a Florida bus driver.
For the third time in her eight-year career, Miami bus driver Laronda Marshall reacted quickly to rescue a passenger or pedestrian in need, the Miami Herald reported.
Her latest heroics happened during her Thursday shift driving for the Miami-Dade Department of Transportation, when she was alerted about a passenger slumped over in his seat, WSVN reported. The man did not have a pulse, according to the television station.
Marshall pulled over the bus and called dispatch for help, then administered CPR to the passenger until police and paramedics arrived, the Herald reported.
"I have a love for people, and my instinct is to jump in and help," Marshall told the newspaper Friday.
The passenger survived, and Marshall was praised for her decisive actions.
"She places the well-being and safety of those she serves as top priority. We are extremely proud of Operator Marshall and are grateful for her professionalism, heroism and her willingness to serve others – even in challenging situations," Alice N. Bravo, director of the Department of Transportation and Public Works, told WTVJ.
Marshall saved the lives of two other people within a month of each other.
In November 2017, she saw a pedestrian lying in the road after he was hit by a car. Marshall parked her bus in a way that kept the fallen man protected and stayed with him until help arrived, the Herald reported.
A month later, Marshall saw a young girl alone in the middle of the street, the newspaper reported. She guided the child onto her bus to keep her safe.
Marshall said she used to be a certified nursing assistant, the Herald reported. It has been valuable for her, even while driving a bus.
"We (bus drivers) wear many hats," Marshall told WTVJ. "We're counselors, we're doctors, we're teachers, even CPR, you gotta learn it, it helps."
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