SAN DIEGO, CA (November 19, 2024) — Valley View Casino & Hotel is proud to announce that Lieutenant Renee Santiago, Officer Justus Te’i and Officer Miles Sinclair have been honored with the Valley View Casino & Hotel Lifesaving Award on November 7, 2024, for their quick and courageous actions in saving a guest’s life in September of this year. Their swift and decisive response to a medical crisis showcases their exceptional training, heroic dedication to guest safety and the vital role of emergency medical technicians (EMTs) in our community. This honor recognizes these outstanding EMTs, whose essential yet often unseen work helps make Valley View Casino & Hotel San Diego’s Favorite® and safest casino.
When Security Dispatch received an emergency notification of an unresponsive guest at the Corner Market Bar, the response time of these exceptional EMTs was critical. Arriving within seconds, Lieutenant Renee Santiago and Officers Justus Te’i and Miles Sinclair located the guest with her companion, as he held her from falling to the floor. Renee, Justus and Miles immediately assumed care, lifting and placing the guest on the floor for assessment. Paramedics were contacted while the Valley View EMTs continued to perform life-saving efforts, including creating an airway and providing rescue breaths while maintaining the guest’s vitals. Paramedics arrived approximately 10 minutes later and transported the guest by Life Flight to Tri-City Trauma Center for further treatment.
Four days later, a follow-up call was made to determine the status of the guest. The Emergency Room team confirmed that the patient had suffered a severe cardiac arrest, and the quick response and immediate application of care by our EMTs directly resulted in saving the life of the patient.
“Their actions have not only made Valley View Casino & Hotel the safest casino in San Diego but have also helped us continue to be San Diego’s Favorite® destination for entertainment,” shared Boyd Long, Assistant General Manager at Valley View Casino & Hotel. “Renee, Justus and Miles are the heart of our public safety team, and we are grateful for the critical role they play in keeping our guests and community safe.”
Renee has been with Valley View Casino & Hotel for 14 years and became an EMT in 2017. This incident marks the fourth time she has saved a life during her tenure. Renee also serves as the EMT Liaison and Coordinator, overseeing EMT training, equipment and supply management.
Justus, who has been with Valley View for three years and became an EMT in March 2023, has shown remarkable compassion and patient care during medical emergencies. Miles, who joined the Valley View team just over a year ago, completed EMT training and certification in March 2024 and has consistently demonstrated exceptional performance as both a security officer and EMT.
“This heroic response exemplifies the professionalism and dedication of our security team,” said Bruce Howard, General Manager at Valley View Casino & Hotel. “Renee, Justus, and Miles demonstrate not only excellence in security but in their lifesaving medical roles as well.”
The award ceremony was attended by key representatives from fire and paramedic teams, including Harold Rodriguez, Fire Chief for the San Pasqual Reservation Fire Department; Division Chief Justin Loffredo; Paramedic Captain Joe Basinski from the Valley Center Fire Protection District along with several firefighters from the San Pasqual Fire Department. The ceremony also saw the proud families of the award recipients and their colleagues from Valley View Casino & Hotel, who gathered to celebrate the heroes’ remarkable life-saving efforts and commitment to public safety.
For more information about Valley View Casino & Hotel, please visit ValleyViewCasino.com. For media inquiries, please contact PR@TeamInnoVision.com. Esta información y el comunicado de prensa están disponibles en español para los medios de comunicación que así lo requieran.