TMI Employees Help Rescue Woman From River Near Chico, CA

Traffic Controllers Maintain Safe Work Zone While Assisting Hiker With Broken Knee

While flagging on Highway 70, two Traffic Management, Inc. (TMI®) employees were approached by a frantic driver, who said her friend needed medical help after falling into a nearby river.

The driver reported that her friend had broken her knee and was stuck in a nearby river down the hill.

Unable to contact 911 due to poor cell service, traffic controllers Justin Uman and Michael Wolstenholm split up so that they could prioritize the safety of the work zone while still helping the person in need. While Michael maintained a safe work zone, Justin went with the driver to help pull her friend out of the river and up the rocks to the safety of the driver’s vehicle.

“Justin and Michael exemplify our core values of TMI Safety,” TMI Regional Manager Wally Stillwell said. “They are a perfect example of how being Serious About Safety is not just a statement but our culture.”

At TMI, all 2,000 traffic controllers attend a multi-day classroom and field safety training course before setting foot on any project. Our mission is to keep our customers, our employees and the public safe.

“We have an amazing safety team and program at TMI,” Michael said. “While the injured person was being helped, all I could do was manage the road closure safety to the best of my ability, and hope that the individual was ok."

For Justin, it is very simple: if someone needs help, he will help. At TMI, creating a good safety culture starts with a foundation of highly trained employees committed to the mission.

"Safety is literally everything we do,” Justin explained. “We make sure that everything is safe not only for our crews and customers but for the public as well.”

TMI is Serious About Safety in everything we do. TMI awarded Justin and Michael the TMI Hero Award in recognition of their quick thinking and service to the community.