METRO Connections 2009

Eliot Swainson is presented with a plaque recognizing him for his lifesaving efforts

Honoring a METRO Hero

The plaque presented to Eliot Swainson at METRO’s January 22, 2009, board meeting recognizing his oustanding Lifesaving Efforts is now displayed on Swainson’s bookshelf, reminding him of his memorable trip to Washington, D.C. last month.

The nation met this 15-year veteran of the METRO Police department the same day President Barack Obama was inaugurated, January 20, 2009.

Swainson was one of 10 Houston MPD officers who joined officers from 17 other transit agencies in Washington, D.C. - all deputized to help with the record inauguration crowds.

He was hailed a hero when he saved a 68-year-old Nashville woman who fell off the train platform and onto the tracks at the Gallery Place station that Tuesday morning.

Swainson and a D.C. Metro patron tried to pull her up from the approximate 4-foot drop.

“She was just standing there with her arms in the air, dead weight, perhaps she panicked,” added Swainson.

Time was running out. Swainson quickly pushed her under the lip of the platform, a safe haven about 2-3 feet wide, and moved out of the way of the oncoming train.

“She tried to either reposition herself or come back out. I pushed her back in and told her to stay down,” said Swainson. “There was a 3-inch gap from the side of the platform to the side of the train as it rolled by. Any overt movement on her part would have had her bump the train. It was very confining.”

Unfamiliar with the hidden cove, Swainson credits training from the Washington Metro staff for being able to get her out of harm’s way. And that he did – the woman was not hit by the train and suffered only minor injuries.

“I’ve been thanked by so many people after the event, for basically doing the job that all police officers are trained to do,” said Swainson. “I’m not going sit here and say that all officers will act a certain way, but we certainly like to hope so. And every event has its different challenges; the shoulda, woulda, coulda’s set in. I too have them, even in this event, but that’s where we all learn from each other, to reach out and be more for each other than just passers-by on the street.”

Eliot Swainson is presented with a plaque recognizing him for his life saving efforts The following day,

Swainson was back in action – helping residents of a Washington row house escape a morning fire.

“We just pounded on doors and stuff,” said Swainson, who stumbled upon the fire while heading back from an interview at the National Mall.

Swainson was accompanied by METRO Capt. Tim Kelly and a D.C. transit officer.

"We couldn't get into the unit that was actually burned. There was just too much smoke coming out of there," recalled the 46-year-old Swainson, who snapped the photo above.

Firefighters were able to rescue a teenage boy from the blaze, but a woman in the unit was killed.

After a whirlwind of media interviews, the humble officer remains uncomfortable with the accolades, but is proud of what this has done for his fellow officers.

“It’s all about the proverbial ‘being in the right place at the right time’,” added Swainson. “I am so glad that the patron who fell into the track line was able to continue on with the rest of her trip to the Capitol of these United States.”

Swainson never did meet the woman he saved, but he did take home a renewed appreciation for what his actions may mean to the strangers he lends a hand to… or saves.