Steve Borrmann woke up for work before the crack of dawn on February 6th, and he had no idea that the technology in his work truck would save his life that day.
At 4 a.m. Borrmann, a lead driver for Johnny On The Spot, began his routes like any other day. However, he soon realized something was off.
“I had this dizzy, weird feeling,” Borrmann said. “After a few stops, I realized something wasn’t right.”
His stomach churned, and he felt extremely ill. At which point, Borrmann knew he needed to call someone.
Brittany Morrow, dispatcher and customer service representative for Johnny On The Spot, looks back on that day thankful that the situation unfolded with the help of company technology.
Morrow was the first one in office that morning. When she took Steve's call, she sensed immediately that something was wrong.
"Usually, when I say, ‘Hello,’ Steve would answer back with a loud 'Hey!'" Morrow said. "This day was different. I knew something was wrong. It sounded like he was having trouble breathing. I told him to stop his truck and to stay put."
Morrow kept him on her work phone line and called the Johnny on the Spot owner from her cell phone. Then, she called 911.
Borrmann was in Munster when he felt the left side of his body go numb.
“A couple stops after, the stroke put me to the ground,” Borrmann said. “If it wasn’t for the technology in the truck, they wouldn’t have known where I was, because I was down for the count. Who could tell how long it would have taken for someone to find me at 4 a.m.?”
Because of the GPS tracking on the trucks, she was able to give Steve's exact location using an approximate address along with location coordinates.
"Once I knew help was coming to Steve, I got back on the line with him and kept him talking," Morrow said. "I wasn't 100 percent sure what was going on, so I wanted to make sure he didn't pass out and that he remained conscious. I had him give me updates on how he was feeling and just kept him talking.”
Eventually, Borrmann lost consciousness in his parked truck. The next thing he knew, there were people pounding on his window. Emergency responders had gotten there in time to rush him to the nearest hospital. To Borrmann’s surprise, the doctor said it was a stroke caused by a blood clot in his head.
He spent the next four weeks in recovery and is now back to work and living a healthier, more nutritious life. He’s also taking blood thinners to lower his risk in the future.
Borrmann’s coworkers are very happy to have him back on the team.
"Steve is an awesome worker. He is someone we can rely on to work whenever we need," Morrow said.
After that day, Borrmann, Morrow and the Johnny on the Spot family were beyond thankful for the technology that helped save Steve on the spot. It was no longer just a way to keep track of routes, but a lifesaver. Morrow said the GPS technology, StreetEagle, came into play when the company began using it in 2015.
"As the dispatcher, I am always looking at StreetEagle to see where all of the drivers are on their routes," Morrow said. "I never thought of it as a tool for an emergency situation. I am so glad that we had this technology to get Steve help that day."
Morrow said StreetEagle has had countless benefits for the company. They are able to see the stops on drivers' routes, where all of the trucks are, and when the drivers are back to the shop.
They can also run reports and see exactly when the trucks stop, when they turn their pumps on, and when they are moving, according to Morrow. Borrman suggests the technology to any company to ensure the safety of its staff.
“The benefit is, it’ll save your life,” Borrmann said. “Even as we go into the winter season, if a truck goes into a ditch, they can constantly see where the truck is at and if it’s stopped. Whoever doesn’t have it, get it, because it could be a life saving device.”