Retired Firefighter goes missing on Amtrak Train

[diesteldorf]

Didn't see this posted yet, so my apologies if it is already being discussed. Hopefully, it'll have a happy ending.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/17/us/missing-amtrak-passenger/index.html?hpt=hp_t3

 

[NW cannonball]

Didn't see this posted yet, so my apologies if it is already being discussed. Hopefully, it'll have a happy ending.

http://www.cnn.com/2....html?hpt=hp_t3

Followed the link to CNN and the facebook page. Family is really worried and sending relatives to possible stops where the man might have de-trained and pushing news outlets and local law to help.

The symptom of disorientation - believing you are somewhere totally other than where you actually are - seems to happen with strokes - happened with my mom. After 10 minutes talking with her in hospital room about grandkids and miscellaneous things, all seeming totally normal, she asked me to get her warm socks from the closet in her bedroom (just over there) - (she'd been in the hospital several days but seemed to think she was home in bed)

Seemingly happened with this person - last verified contact was with conductor about 05:00 - when subject seemed to think he was somewhere else. But at 0500 that's not unusual.

What can passengers do in the extremely rare case where other passengers have acute medical problem? If it was acute chest pain, maybe the the classic movie thing "Is there a doctor aboard?" might work. With sudden-onset confusion - who could possibly know or help?

Not that I'm scared of dying on the train, airplane, city bus -- just wondering what to do in the rare case - how to help a stranger.

 

[SarahZ]

With sudden-onset confusion - who could possibly know or help?

Not that I'm scared of dying on the train, airplane, city bus -- just wondering what to do in the rare case - how to help a stranger.

Alert a car attendant, who can find a conductor. They can check the person's phone for emergency contacts or relatives who might know the person's itinerary and medical conditions. If they don't have a cell phone, they may have a list of contact numbers in their wallet, purse, or carry-on.

Failing that, the conductor could radio ahead to the nearest town and get the police involved. The police can use the person's name and address (I would hope they'd have ID and/or a luggage tag on their carry-on) to look for their next of kin. In my parents' case, the call would come to me or my brother.

Not quite related, but a handy tip for those with iPhones:

Like most people, my phone is locked with a passcode, but you can press the "emergency call" button to access the number pad. Since this doesn't solve the issue of someone figuring out who to call in an emergency, I made a list of numbers in the Notes app, took a screenshot, and set that picture as the background image for my lock screen. So, even when my phone is locked, someone can see my boyfriend's number, my best friend's number, and my doctor's number.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

Seemingly happened with this person - last verified contact was with conductor about 05:00 - when subject seemed to think he was somewhere else. But at 0500 that's not unusual.

What can passengers do in the extremely rare case where other passengers have acute medical problem? If it was acute chest pain, maybe the the classic movie thing "Is there a doctor aboard?" might work. With sudden-onset confusion - who could possibly know or help?

Not that I'm scared of dying on the train, airplane, city bus -- just wondering what to do in the rare case - how to help a stranger.

What to do. Stay with the passenger who is having a medical issue. On the train have someone other than yourself, get / alert a staff member. Do not restrict the movement of the sick, but also don't let them leave the moving train. Report the medical issue to conductor.

That the short story.

The issue in this case the conductor fail to realize there was a problem. It happens, there main job is not medical. If you ever think someone is have a issue who not a family member you may have trouble get that person help, even if you are able to call out the emergency medical service yourself, confused people are a hard call to make, even for the trained medical personal.

Sorry but I have see MD blow calls, nevermind the bystander.

.

 

[Amtrak Cajun]

I sincerely hope that this guy is found, and is returned safely. My thoughts go out to him and his family.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

A handy tip for those with iPhones:

Like most people, my phone is locked with a passcode, but you can press the "emergency call" button to access the number pad. Since this doesn't solve the issue of someone figuring out who to call in an emergency, I made a list of numbers in the Notes app, took a screenshot, and set that picture as the background image for my lock screen. So, even when my phone is locked, someone can see my boyfriend's number, my best friend's number, and my doctor's number.

Win

Like

Don't forget the tag of "ICE" (in case of emergency). So if your regular cell phone is found with you, the rescue personal can scroll down your director and know who to call.

 

[Railroad Bill]

Mrs. RRB and I were on the CZ with this man. When we boarded in SLC at 3am he was standing outside the 633 car and acting strangely. He came into the lower floor and asked for his luggage. I wasn't sure whether he was in the correct car as I thought he was boarding in SLC?

He seemed rather confused but at that time in the morning we just went to our room and went to sleep. Our car attendant was on her sleep break and the 632 attendant was helping board some people in his car. We had told him we rode Amtrak alot and could find our room without help. There were several people on the platform since SLC is a crew change stop and there is a long stay there.

We saw him at various places along the way and he got off in Grand Junction and again at Denver. Our car attendant said she was concerned about him, but he told her he had forgotten to take his medicine and that he would be o.k.

When we approached Galesburg, there was an all out search for him as no one had seen him all morning. They checked the diner, lounge car and instructed all personnel to check every restroom and sleeper compartment along the way. He never showed up and everyone was now very worried.

We saw Amtrak and Chicago police boarding the CZ when we arrived in Chicago Union Station and suspected that he was still missing.

Such a shame as it does look like he must have gotten off somewhere after Denver. Our ride across Nebraska was a really rough one and the car was shaking all over. He may have been fearful of what was happening and gotten off at one of the Nebraska stations??

Sure hope he turns up and he is safe. It must be a nightmare for his family, but we wondered why the family would let someone with these medical situations travel alone.?

 

[SarahZ]

A handy tip for those with iPhones:

Like most people, my phone is locked with a passcode, but you can press the "emergency call" button to access the number pad. Since this doesn't solve the issue of someone figuring out who to call in an emergency, I made a list of numbers in the Notes app, took a screenshot, and set that picture as the background image for my lock screen. So, even when my phone is locked, someone can see my boyfriend's number, my best friend's number, and my doctor's number.

Win

Like

Don't forget the tag of "ICE" (in case of emergency). So if your regular cell phone is found with you, the rescue personal can scroll down your director and know who to call.

They can't scroll through my Contacts because my phone is locked with a passcode. That's why I have the emergency contacts saved as a background for the lock screen.

 

[PerRock]

A handy tip for those with iPhones:

Like most people, my phone is locked with a passcode, but you can press the "emergency call" button to access the number pad. Since this doesn't solve the issue of someone figuring out who to call in an emergency, I made a list of numbers in the Notes app, took a screenshot, and set that picture as the background image for my lock screen. So, even when my phone is locked, someone can see my boyfriend's number, my best friend's number, and my doctor's number.

Win

Like

Don't forget the tag of "ICE" (in case of emergency). So if your regular cell phone is found with you, the rescue personal can scroll down your director and know who to call.

They can't scroll through my Contacts because my phone is locked with a passcode. That's why I have the emergency contacts saved as a background for the lock screen.

I've never heard of the idea to label contacts "ICE" for emergencies, and if I were looking thru someones phone for an emergency number "ICE" would not flag up to me as an emergency. However "Emergency" would.

Most phones have an emergency mode where you can hold down the volume button for a little while and it'll unlock the telephone part of the phone, regardless if you have a passcode on it or not. Some Android lock apps allow you to turn this function off; on iPhones you cannot. It is an industry-set standard and should work on any phone.

peter

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

Mrs. RRB and I were on the CZ with this man. When we boarded in SLC at 3am he was standing outside the 633 car and acting strangely. He came into the lower floor and asked for his luggage. I wasn't sure whether he was in the correct car as I thought he was boarding in SLC?

He seemed rather confused but at that time in the morning we just went to our room and went to sleep. Our car attendant was on her sleep break and the 632 attendant was helping board some people in his car. We had told him we rode Amtrak alot and could find our room without help. There were several people on the platform since SLC is a crew change stop and there is a long stay there.

We saw him at various places along the way and he got off in Grand Junction and again at Denver. Our car attendant said she was concerned about him, but he told her he had forgotten to take his medicine and that he would be o.k.

When we approached Galesburg, there was an all out search for him as no one had seen him all morning. They checked the diner, lounge car and instructed all personnel to check every restroom and sleeper compartment along the way. He never showed up and everyone was now very worried.

We saw Amtrak and Chicago police boarding the CZ when we arrived in Chicago Union Station and suspected that he was still missing.

Such a shame as it does look like he must have gotten off somewhere after Denver. Our ride across Nebraska was a really rough one and the car was shaking all over. He may have been fearful of what was happening and gotten off at one of the Nebraska stations??

Sure hope he turns up and he is safe. It must be a nightmare for his family, but we wondered why the family would let someone with these medical situations travel alone.?

I'm confused now. The article says the conductor saw Dowd in OMA. If there was a search for him just before GBB then hemust have gotten off between OMA and GBB, right?

 

[Railroad Bill]

If the conductor is sure he talked to him in Omaha, then that would make sense. But the family seems to be focused on Lincoln, a stop preceding Omaha, which would indicate that there is some question as to where he was last seen. Our car attendant would have received the Omaha newspaper in Omaha and placed it outside our door early in the morning. He apparently never got the paper and was not seen after that? :unsure:

 

[Acela150]

Hopefully the brother firefighter is found safe and sound and can be cleared to go home with his family.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

A handy tip for those with iPhones:

Like most people, my phone is locked with a passcode, but you can press the "emergency call" button to access the number pad. Since this doesn't solve the issue of someone figuring out who to call in an emergency, I made a list of numbers in the Notes app, took a screenshot, and set that picture as the background image for my lock screen. So, even when my phone is locked, someone can see my boyfriend's number, my best friend's number, and my doctor's number.

Win

Like

Don't forget the tag of "ICE" (in case of emergency). So if your regular cell phone is found with you, the rescue personal can scroll down your director and know who to call.

They can't scroll through my Contacts because my phone is locked with a passcode. That's why I have the emergency contacts saved as a background for the lock screen.

Sorcha your way of doing it, earn you a "Win" and a "Like". Don't change it. The best way I have hear to beat the password thing. However for the rest of us who don't have the lastest toys, Please tag your emergency contact with the "ICE". If you got the space "Emergency Contact" will work too. Otherwise the emergency room clerk will call ever number in your phone to find out who you are and what is your medical history.

 

[Notelvis]

Railroad Bill -

The information you have suggests strongly that this passenger got off the train in Omaha and never got back on...... or, if he was on the train leaving Omaha, that he never returned to his room.

The family has a facebook page up regarding their search and this is information which may help them narrow the search area a bit more. Would you consider sharing your information with the family via facebook?

 

[Railroad Bill]

I am afraid the information re: Omaha came from the news reports. We were sleeping in Omaha and did not actually see him. The last time we saw him was in Denver on the platform. The reports seem to be a bit conflicting since the family seems to be launching their search via Lincoln, while the one conductor seems to say he talked to him in Omaha. I believe the police departments are doing their best to locate him, but I am fearful that they seem to not know exactly where he may have detrained.

I do not think I have anything to add to what they already know and I do not do Facebook.

 

[Notelvis]

I see -

I wonder if he returned to the train even in Denver? With the temporary station being across a busy street from the platform, it would be quite easy for someone to wander away unnoticed and become lost there as well.

 

[cirdan]

I see -

I wonder if he returned to the train even in Denver? With the temporary station being across a busy street from the platform, it would be quite easy for someone to wander away unnoticed and become lost there as well.

So still no news? This is getting worrying. Especially if he should be taking medications but isn't.

 

[Notelvis]

New information from another passenger on the train has lead the family to believe that Mr. Dowd may have fallen off the train sometime before 11:00pm Thursday night. The search is now focusing on eastern Colorado and western Nebraska.

Sadly, having been missing for 4-5 days now with no sign, it's more likely that he fell from the train than it is he simply wandered away during a station stop.

Working Link below - not sure why I can't get it to work in this particular post.

 

[Amtrak Cajun]

Notelvis, the link doesnt work.

I am going to keep hoping and praying that this firefighter is found alive.

 

[Notelvis]

Link Fixed

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Try this

 

[Amtrak Cajun]

Thanks AB, that worked.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Thanks AB, that worked.

There was extra http\\'s in the other link.

 

[E Runs]

My wife and I were on that train. After the GBB stop the 633 car attendant came on the intercom saying she was looking for Mr Dowd, she repeated this 2-3 times. This made us concerned but we thought he may have been in the SSL where it's hard to hear announcements. As we approached CUS the conductor came over the intercom stating he wanted the OBS to check (I'm paraphrasing) "every bathroom, room, nook and cranny on board" and for them not to leave their car until every square inch was double checked. At this we knew there was the possibility of something being seriously wrong. Today is this first time I've logged on since returning home and my heart broke when I saw this.

EDIT: I see much of the same info was covered by RRB, I posted the above before having read the thread. I can't recall seeing the gentleman in question but then again we were 2 cars forward in 631.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

EDIT: I see much of the same info was covered by RRB, I posted the above before having read the thread. I can't recall seeing the gentleman in question but then again we were 2 cars forward in 631.

The info you posted push the story forward, thank you for your input. RRB was missing the PA statements, it's nice to know that crew notice the problem before Chicago.