What began as a routine pole replacement for an INTREN WEST crew quickly turned into a life-or-death emergency when a PG&E inspector suddenly collapsed beside the work site.
The crew didn’t hesitate. Within seconds, crew members sprinted to his side, began administering CPR, called 911, and deployed an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) — a portable device used to help restore a person’s heartbeat during cardiac arrest.
“I was booming down to grab a staple gun when traffic control yelled, ‘Call 911!’” recalled Lineman Tim Vaudrey. “As I was coming down, I could see him laying in the grass. I immediately took my harness off and just took off sprinting to him.”
Vaudrey and the rest of the crew quickly realized the inspector was suffering cardiac arrest.
Vaudrey and James Gutierrez performed chest compressions and rescue breathing while Foreman Dave Ross retrieved the crew’s Automated External Defibrillator (AED) and, along with crew member Eric Camilli, helped operate the device. Crew members also remained on the phone with 911 dispatchers while coordinating emergency responders through the gated neighborhood to avoid delays in medical response.
Just days after helping save a man’s life on the job, INTREN WEST crews were back in the field performing restoration work following the late May 2026 wind storms.
“There was zero hesitation in what to do,” said INTREN WEST General Foreman Edward Hinkley, who said the way this crew responded under pressure and immediately worked together during a life-or-death emergency was remarkable to see.
Because of the dangers lineworkers and utility construction crews face on the job, CPR, first aid, and AED training are critical. To help save lives when emergencies happen in the field, IBEW 1245 worked alongside IBEW Local 47 and other labor organizations to help pass AB 365 — the Justin Kropp Safety Act — which now requires AEDs at utility worksites across California. The law officially took effect in January 2026.
Vaudrey said what stood out most afterward was how naturally the crew worked together under pressure. “We’d only been a crew together for about two weeks, but that didn’t matter,” Vaudrey said. “Everybody just fell into place exactly where they needed to be.”
The crew was relieved to learn later that the inspector survived and was recovering at the hospital.
“It makes you think twice about life,” Vaudrey said. “You just hope that if something like that ever happens to somebody you care about, there are people around who know what to do and can help.”