When Seconds Counted … A Springfield Memorial Hospital Security Officer Stepped Up

One night in late July, Springfield Memorial Hospital security officer Caleb Patrick was conducting a routine patrol when he saw a woman lying on the nearby railroad tracks – with a train quickly approaching.

Caleb didn’t hesitate. According to security camera footage, he took less than a minute to reach the woman, run onto the tracks and pull her to safety. Only 26 seconds later, the train went by.

Memorial Health, the City of Springfield and the Springfield Police Department recognized Caleb for his heroism at a ceremony at the Edgar J. Curtis Memorial Learning Center on Wednesday, Aug. 5. Springfield Mayor Misty Buscher and Police Chief Joseph Behl presented him with a civilian certificate of appreciation for his lifesaving efforts.

“This is a lot scarier than the moment of being on the tracks,” Caleb joked when asked to say a few words to a crowd of Memorial Health leaders, law enforcement officers and city officials. “I looked at it as no big deal. I never knew what I would do in that situation until I was put in it.”

His co-workers weren’t surprised that he leapt into action in a moment of need.

“I can tell you from experience that those instincts don’t come from nowhere,” said Ben Wooten, vice president of emergency management and safety at Memorial Health. “They come from character and having the innate tendency for service above self – from caring more about the person in front of you than about your own safety in that moment.”

Caleb, who has four daughters and another on the way, served in the U.S. Army before beginning his career in security and has been with Memorial Health since February 2025.

Memorial Health president and CEO Mandy Eaton said that Caleb’s story is a great example of how Memorial security officers care for our communities.

“They have a very real impact on the well-being of the people we serve every day with their compassion, understanding and willingness to step in,” she said.