Health workers honored for heroically saving lives in Vegas mass shooting

Hospital employees’ critical role in saving lives and providing care to victims of Route 91 Harvest Festival shooting recognized and honored by SEIU Nevada and UMC. AJPRESS

LAS VEGAS — As the influx of victims from the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history flooded nearby emergency rooms, hospital workers heroically answered the call to serve, tirelessly providing around-the-clock treatment and care.

Among the heroes was Jacqueline Rodriguez, a nursing aide at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center, who immediately raced back to the hospital despite just finishing a 12-hour shift.

Running from patient to patient, rushing hospital equipment to doctors and nurses who needed to administer them to patients, lifting patients onto gurneys and moving them to treatment areas were some of the work, Rodriguez did as she and her colleagues dealt with the aftermath of Route 91 Harvest Festival shooting.

In recognition for saving lives in a time of crisis, SEIU Nevada and University Medical Center (UMC) gave recognition to the exemplary, selfless work of thousands of employees at UMC and Sunrise Hospital on Friday, October 6, 2017.

UMC hospital workers and Sunrise Hospital workers came together with foreign dignitaries and elected leaders: Adelio Angelito S. Cruz, Consul General of the Philippines; Dyan Miranda-Pastrana, Vice Consul General of the Philippines; U.S. Representative Dina Titus, NV-1; State Senate Majority Leader Aaron Ford, SD-11; State Senator Tick Segerblom, SD-3; State Assembly Member Chris Brooks, AD-10; Clark County Commissioner Lawrence Weekly, District D; Mason Van Houweling, CEO, UMC; Luisa Blue, Executive Vice President, SEIU; Rusty McAllister, Executive Secretary-Treasurer, Nevada AFL-CIO; Christian Bato, Representative for U.S. Senator Cortez-Mastro; and Reverend Rozita Lee, community activist for the recognition ceremony.

Community groups, union workers, blood donors and volunteers were also present to kick off a day-long blood drive sponsored by United Blood Services, SEIU Nevada and UMC.