Barbara Westbrook and Debra Billings, two census workers, agreed Tuesday night to take one last assignment to knock on 10 more doors in a neighborhood off Columbia’s North Main Street.
When the two women knocked on the door of a Colleton Street home, they heard a man’s voice from inside. But a passing train prevented them from understanding what he said.
“We get all kinds of responses, from people telling us to go away, people who try to ignore us when we know they’re there,” Westbrook said.
The two women could have figured the man wanted them to leave and headed to the next address. After all, it was after 7 p.m. and they had nine more addresses to check before 8 p.m.
But they waited out the train and realized the man was calling for help.
“He said, ‘I’m hurt. I’ve fallen and I need help. Call 911,’” Westbrook said.
Billings, whose husband is a volunteer firefighter, used her cell phone to call 911. Then, the two women went to a nearby apartment complex to ask for help. Billings was not available Wednesday to talk about the rescue.
