Megan Vinyard has worked at the Haugan Weigh Station almost six years after moving with her husband from Washington state to St. Regis.

She modestly explains the events that took place near the end of her shift on Friday, Jan. 23. 

“Officer Verbanac and I were just finishing up our shifts doing inspections at the scale when a call came in over the radio. The first call from a state worker (snowplow driver) was one unresponsive person in a vehicle. We heard Mineral County Dispatch page out medical and fire for it. Then another page that there were two unresponsive people in the vehicle in the snowbank with the driver’s foot still on the gas pedal.” 

This is when Megan and Emily Verbanac looked at each other and realized they would get there quicker than anyone else so they grabbed the AED (Automated External Defibrillator) and Narcan because they didn’t know what they were going to find when they arrived. 

They locked up the facility as their relief hadn’t arrived yet, jumped into Vinyard's vehicle and headed east to the Haugan exit on I-90 which is 1 mile from the weigh station. 

No vehicle. Nothing in the parking lot of the $50,000 Bar/Restaurant either, so they called dispatch and were informed the vehicle and occupants were at the DeBorgia exit, another 3 miles west. 

When they arrived, Mineral County Sheriff Ryan Funke was on the scene. He was off duty but had been in the restaurant and heard the call and responded so he was trying to gain entry into the vehicle. 

“He smashed the side window in and we got a blanket from my car and helped pull the driver out and got him on that blanket. Emily started assessing him while the sheriff and I pulled out the passenger. By that time, the West End (Volunteer Fire Department) was pulling up so they took over the care of assessing the passenger.” 

Vinyard returned to the driver and his vitals were crashing. 

“We noticed that he had pinpoint pupils and wasn’t responsive to any kind of stimulus so we gave him a Narcan. He still wasn’t responsive so Emily started CPR and I got the AED on him. We switched after a few moments and he let out a shallow gasp and started coming too. It was very slow with only yes-or-no answers. She stayed with him and I went back to the passenger where they had administered Narcan and she was coming around.” 

Soon afterward, the St. Regis Volunteer Fire Department and Superior Area Ambulance arrived and took over the incident.

Vinyard explained that all MDT employees at weigh stations are proficient in First Aid and Narcan training. She herself is a master Narcan trainer for MDT.

During a recent ceremony in Missoula, Montana Governor Gianforte Officer presented Officers Vinyard and Verbanac an Outstanding Service Award for their lifesaving actions with a letter of recognition and a Montana state flag flown over the State Capitol in their honor.