It has been said that lightning never strikes twice in the same
place. Don’t tell that to James Clark.
The local dispatcher handled two 911 calls from children that
helped save their parents’ lives
– the only two such calls in recent memory.
It has been said that lightning never strikes twice in the same place. Don’t tell that to James Clark.
The local dispatcher handled two 911 calls from children that helped save their parents’ lives – the only two such calls in recent memory.
“It’s really rare to have small kids call for a real 911 situation. The odds of handling two calls like that are pretty high,” Clark said.
Clark, a retired Salinas fire captain who works as a dispatcher in the San Benito County Communications Center, received separate 911 calls from Benjamin Saldana, 6, and Tyler Hatchett, 7, asking for help to save their mothers.
Although the calls came two months apart and there were other dispatchers on duty, Clark received both calls.
Clark, 47, said he was surprised by how composed both youths were during their emergencies.
“These two kids really had it together,” Clark said. “They were really calm and kept it together.”
He said Benjamin and Tyler could probably teach adults how to react in an emergency situation.
“There are some adults I’ve dealt with where I’d rather have these two kids giving me the information,” Clark said.
He said the two boys gave him the four most important pieces of information a dispatcher needs to be effective – a good address, a call-back number in case more information is needed, the age and sex of the victim and a basic description of their condition and what caused it.
County Communications Manager Tamara Becker said it was a stroke of good luck that the youths talked to Clark because his personality is just what those situations called for.
“He’s a great guy,” Becker said. “He is very conscientious and has a very calming influence on the center, which stands to reason that he would be good with the kids.”
Although Clark played a role in both emergencies, he said the credit belongs to Benjamin and Tyler.
“They are the heroes, and they deserve all the credit,” Clark said. “I’m really proud of our Hollister kids.”
Some of his pride for Benjamin and Tyler was on display recently when both youths were recognized in Sacramento on the steps of the Capitol by state officials and professional athletes with the nonprofit organization Athletes and Entertainers for Kids. They were two of four youths from across the state who were honored.
The emergency for Benjamin started about a year ago on June 7 when he was at home with his mother, April, and his 3-year-old sister when his mother fell to the floor while having an epileptic seizure.
Benjamin, who was 5 at the time, checked his 27-year-old mother for responsiveness and then quickly dialed 911.
“My mommy’s gone,” he told Clark. “She can’t breathe. She had been shaking. Now she’s sleeping.”
“She was shaking?” Clark asked, trying to keep the youth calm and ascertain the situation.
“Like she was knocked out,” Benjamin said. “Like she was shaking, and I miss my mommy.”
Emergency crews responded to the call and revived Saldana, who recovered without incident.
About two months after the incident at the Saldana home, Shannon Hatchett collapsed – also from an epileptic seizure. Tyler, then 6, was at home with his mother and then-3-month-old brother Austin.
Tyler had only one thought when his mother collapsed: “Just to call 911,” he said.
“I think my mom is dead,” Tyler said to Clark.
The Hatchetts said they were surprised and impressed by Tyler’s judgment and calmness during the emergency situation. His father, Ron, said he had previously talked to Tyler about dialing 911, but not for the reason Tyler used it.
