For National Fuel meter reader Mike Conway, aside from a barking dog or the random customer who happens to be home, his days are fairly uneventful.
That’s what a morning in mid-June appeared to be, too, as he was walking down a residential block and checking meters. In the distance, he heard the sound of a chainsaw, but otherwise, everything was quiet.
Strangely enough, though, he didn’t see anyone doing any work. As the sound grew louder, he kept looking to make sure he wasn’t walking into a work area, but he saw nothing.
Then, as he approached the next yard, he saw a chainsaw on the ground, still running. “I thought, ‘That’s odd,’” said Conway.
He checked the meter—but suddenly heard, “Hey, hey, hey!” As he turned, he heard the words, “I’m stuck under this tree!”
Conway raced over. First, he turned off the chainsaw and crouched next to a fallen tree, where, half hidden by leaves, was a man, about 60 years old. The tree was laying across the length of his body.
Following protocol, Conway first asked the man’s permission to help. Then, using all his strength, he was able to grab hold of some branches to lift the tree high enough so the man could roll out. “He was lucky the branches didn’t stab him,” said Conway. “But he was OK.”
The man told Conway that he had been trapped for 20 minutes, with no one close enough to hear his calls for help. He shook Conway’s hand and couldn’t stop thanking him.
For Conway, who had never responded to an emergency, “It was gratifying to be able to help. One, to be capable of helping, and two, to be in the right place at the right time.
“When you see something, say something—or do something,” he said. “Staying safe is our No. 1 thing, so I made sure I was safe while helping this gentleman to the best of my ability.”