North Bergen resident Carlos Pargas was just doing his job as a field collector for Public Service Electric & Gas, driving through the streets of North Bergen recently, when he noticed something a little peculiar.
“I was driving down 89th Street and as soon as I made the turn, I saw this little kid running in between parked cars,” said the 41-year-old Pargas. “I just kept an eye on him and saw him crossing the street back and forth. He just kept going down the block. I kept watching him. I knew something was wrong. He didn’t have any shoes on and he was a little boy. I thought maybe he was lost or something.”
Pargas knew that he had to do something, so he called his supervisor, Charlie Brown, then called the North Bergen police. After following the toddler for three blocks, he jumped out of his car and ran after the little boy.
“I grabbed him and held him,” Pargas said. “He was screaming and crying. He had a stranger holding him, so it made sense that he would cry. I tried to speak to him in both English and Spanish, but he didn’t understand me. I tried to figure out where he lived. But he was very upset. I was not going to let him go until the police came.”
As it turned out, the little boy, who lives on 88th Street and Third Avenue, had wandered out of the side door of his home. There were contractors doing work in his home and they left the door open. The little boy, who was being watched by a nanny, just walked out the door and wandered down the street.
Noticing the boy was gone, the nanny immediately called police, so the North Bergen police knew right away where the boy belonged.
The police then returned the boy to the nanny and to his parents.
Pargas, who has lived in North Bergen for seven years, said that it didn’t matter that the incident took place in the community where he lives.
“I would have done the same thing anywhere else,” Pargas said. “It wouldn’t have mattered. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. I’m just happy I could help.”
Brown was impressed with Pargas’ quick thinking.
“It was great on Carlos’ part,” Brown said. “He deserves all the credit in the world. I think it was just a case of him being who he is, a caring person. It was all him.”
PSE&G has a program, ChildWatch, which is a child safety program. It offers the help of PSE&G employees to children who become hurt, lost or feel endangered when parents, police or other official sources of help are not nearby. PSE&G trucks and vans are equipped with two-way radios. PSE&G electric and gas field employees can notify dispatchers who then call emergency help, such as the police or first aid squad.
During the development of the program, PSE&G discussed ChildWatch with police departments and mayors throughout the communities that PSE&G serves. ChildWatch has been honored with many awards. It helped earn PSE&G a Citation for Private Sector Initiatives from President George Bush in 1989.
Every PSE&G truck and van carries the PSE&G logo which includes a large “energy burst.” Every PSE&G truck and van also carries a large ChildWatch sticker on both sides. Most of the trucks and vans are painted white, with orange and yellow stripes.
“If a kid notices the vehicle, they can come to an employee and get help and feel safe,” Brown said. “We then can radio the authorities. It’s a great community project and effort.”
“PSE&G urges parents to point out PSE&G trucks and vans to children and tell them that the PSE&G employees who work in those trucks and vans can help them if they are hurt, lost, or in trouble,” said PSE&G community affairs director Richard Dwyer. “ChildWatch is designed to support and supplement the police and other safety programs in the community, not to replace them.”
Because of Pargas’ training in the ChildWatch program, he knew what to do. In reality, Pargas said he would have done the same if he wasn’t trained to help children.
Brown agreed.
“It was nothing we teach,” Brown said. “It was Carlos’ good heart and judgment.”
“I’m just glad I did what I did,” Pargas said. “It was all in a day’s work.”