Vet Corps member and Yakima County Veterans Program employee recognized for their role in saving life of Toppenish man

TOPPENISH—A Washington State Vet Corps member and a Yakima County Veterans Program employee are being lauded for their roles in saving the life of a Toppenish Man. 

The federal AmeriCorps agency recently sent letters of recognition to Vet Corps member Fernando Hernandez and Yakima County Veterans program employee Angel Mendoza for their efforts. 

Fernando and Angel were preforming their regular outreach duties on Dec. 11, 2024, when they came across a man slumped over on First St. When they approached the man, they discovered he wasn’t breathing, had no pulse and his skin had a bluish tint, signs that could indicate an opioid overdose, according to Ray Hernandez, program manager of the Yakima County Veterans Program.

Fernando and Angel retrieved some Naloxone from their outreach kit. Naloxone is a medicine that works to reverse an opioid overdose. Angel gave the man a dose of Naloxone while Fernando instructed a bystander to call 911. Three minutes passed with no response from the man, so they gave the man a second dose of Naloxone. About one minute later, the man took a breath and began to regain consciousness. The Toppenish Fire Department arrived about five minutes later. By that time, the man had fully regained consciousness and was in stable condition.

“The swift, decisive and courageous actions taken by Fernando and Angel were instrumental saving a life that day,” Hernandez said. “Their leadership, training, and commitment to serving the community are commendable. Without their intervention, this incident may have resulted in another fatal overdose in Yakima County. We express our deepest gratitude and appreciation to Fernando and Angel for their professionalism, bravery and dedication to the well-being of our community members. Their actions reflect the highest standards of service and care.”

About the Yakima County Veterans Program: As a part of its outreach efforts, the Yakima County Veterans Program assists veterans and their family members who are experiencing homelessness and other emergency needs, including outreach services and case management. Visit the Yakima County Veterans program website to learn more.

About Washington State Vet Corps: The Vet Corps program is run by the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs and is funded by AmeriCorps. Started in 2005, the program stations Vet Corps members at community organizations, colleges and universities throughout Washington state. Vet Corps members, who are typically veterans themselves, or have military-connected family members, provide a peer connection to veterans and help them transition from military to civilian life. They often answer specific questions and listen to concerns veterans have and help them connect to federal, state and local veteran resources and benefits. Visit the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs Vet Corps page to learn more.