EAST ST. LOUIS — Even though a Metro driver doesn't think he's a hero, plenty of others do.
Brian Alexander noticed smoke coming from a home along his route, stopped his bus, got out and helped to bring a family to safety.
Alexander, a father of four and grandfather of six, and a driver with Metro for five years and two months, was honored by the city for his help in alerting a family and then assisting them to get out of their burning home at 615 Tudor Ave.
The East St. Louis City Council recognized Alexander's alert thinking and action with a huge plaque. His bosses and co-workers at Metro were seated in the audience Thursday night. The family was not present.
He said he saw flames coming out of a house and the training he received from Metro kicked into full gear.
He called his dispatcher and reported what he saw.
There was one passenger on the bus as Alexander was driving his bus route which took him east on Tudor going toward 19th Street.
He said it was second nature for him to lend a hand.
Alexander said he was a victim of fire in 2004 and a neighbor across from his home alerted his family. That experience taught him the importance of finding out whether occupants were in the house and, if so, getting them to safety.
"I grew up in a Christian family and all of my praises go to God. He used me to bless somebody else," he said.
Hattie Snipes, Alexander's mom, said her son called and asked if she was sitting down, Then shared with her what he had done.
"He asked the guy there if he knew his house was on fire. The young man told him his girlfriend and kids were still in the home. My son went there and led them out of the back door," said Snipes.
"I am pretty proud of him. He was brought up in the church and is a compassionate person. To him, it's a human thing. And, I would do the same."
"I think he's a hero. That's why we wanted to recognize him. To have a great employee who goes above and beyond — that's pretty special," said Patti Beck, external communications manager for Metro.
Ray M. Friem, chief operating officer for Metro, said Alexander did a very good deed for the community and that family.
"He's incredible," said Friem. Friem said there are a number of employees at Metro who go above and beyond what is required. But those employees have been recognized behind closed doors. Friem said the organization wants to change this in 2011 by going out into the community with the stories of the good deeds.
Contact reporter Carolyn P. Smith at 239-2503.
Read more: http://www.bnd.com/2011/02/13/1589806/one-metro-driver-is-honored-for.html#ixzz1E9Bos29X