By Steve Neavling
A Border Patrol agent in New Mexico is credited with saving the life of a woman with hypothermia who was stranded in the desert during a snowstorm.
Agents from the Santa Teresa Border Patrol Station were called to help two people stranded in the desert on Monday. The couple had been exposed to the bitter cold for three days, and one of them was unresponsive and showing signs of hypothermia.
An arriving agent requested medics, and after rendering aid to the woman, he carried her a half mile to his vehicle. When EMS arrived, the medics transported her to a hospital.
It turned out the couple had COVID-19. The responding agent has been quarantined pending testing.
“Although I’m extremely proud of the heroic actions by our agent, this event once again illustrates the high risks of COVID-19 exposure that exists for our Border Patrol agents,” El Paso Sector Chief Patrol Agent Gloria I. Chavez said in a statement.
“Our agents will place themselves in harm’s way, go any length, to render aid to those in need, not knowing the victims are COVID-19 positive. Now we will take measures to quarantine our agent, sanitize and decontaminate the vehicle, and ensure our agent gets tested due to the COVID-19 exposure.”
