Nurse witnesses car accident, gives victim life-saving treatment until help arrives

PENN HILLS, Pa. — A nurse who was in the right place at the right time jumped in to help a woman hit by a car Wednesday morning in Penn Hills.

The woman was hit by an SUV while walking across Coal Hollow Road from the parking lot of GetGo along Frankstown Road.

Witnesses said a nurse who happened to be at the gas station sprinted over to help her, giving her life-saving treatment until medics got there.

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GetGo employees claimed the woman who was hit was dressed in all black and it was still dark out -- around 6:45 a.m.

Channel 11 spoke with an ER nurse who said wearing bright colors help drivers see pedestrians, especially that early in the morning.

Experts also say to use a crosswalk if there is one. If not, stay in a well-lit area and put your cellphone and headphones down.

Channel 11′s Amy Hudak spoke with the nurse who helped save the woman’s life.

“I came running out and the lady was laying right here on the road, she wasn’t talking at that time,” said Mame Saltzman. “She was hit in the head, the nose and face.”

Saltzman, a nurse at UPMC, said her training just kicked in.

“You have to go back and think of everything you need to do, which is critical nursing, which is trauma -- which is what we do,” said Saltzman.

She told Channel 11 drivers stopped traffic, GetGo employees ran out and people with no medical training helped out any way they could.

“I sat with her, tried to keep her awake until the police came. And she started to go out a little bit, and I talked to her and talked her through it,” she said.

Nurse witnesses car accident, gives victim life-saving treatment until help arrives Nurse witnesses car accident, gives victim life-saving treatment until help arrives

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