On a quiet Sunday afternoon in early December, Toronto resident Serena Mack was aboard the Lakeshore East GO Transit train, heading from Danforth to Oshawa to visit family. The peace of the ride was disrupted more than 30 minutes in when a dog began barking, signaling a significant emergency. Mack quickly realized that the barking was from a service dog alerting to its owner's medical crisis—a seizure.

Upon seeing the distressed woman, Mack took immediate action by activating the GO Transit train emergency alarm system. She confirmed that the alarm was successfully triggered, as she heard the train's name announced over the intercom alongside a loud beeping sound.

Simultaneously, Mack dialed 911 and, while on the call with emergency dispatchers, she noticed the train was approaching Whitby GO Station. She advised them to send paramedics to this station, but to her surprise, the train resumed its journey shortly after stopping at Whitby.

Still connected to 911, Mack had to inform the dispatchers to redirect the paramedics to Oshawa, the next stop on the route. It was not until a train staff member approached Mack to inquire about the situation that she was able to inform them of the woman’s critical condition, insisting, "This person is having seizures, you need to stop this train."

As the train continued to move toward Oshawa, the staff member returned with a first aid kit and a defibrillator. However, by the time of his return, the woman had started to regain consciousness. Unfortunately, soon after, she experienced a second seizure during the journey to Oshawa.

Mack remained with the woman until they reached Oshawa, where she escorted her off the train. Upon arrival, GO train staff were present to assist while waiting for paramedics. Mack expressed her confusion about why the train left Whitby when the alarm had been pressed. The staff's response was vague, directing her to report her concerns to someone else.

Frustrated by the lack of immediate response and communication, Mack called and emailed multiple times, eventually escalating her concerns to the Metrolinx board. Nearly two weeks later, she received a return call acknowledging some communication gaps in the operations policy. The spokesperson clarified that the procedure allowed the train to continue during emergencies, though Mack felt this protocol did not address the urgency of the situation at hand, as the nature of the emergency was not thoroughly understood before departing Whitby.

Metrolinx, the provincial transportation agency managing GO Transit, confirmed that a thorough investigation into the incident was conducted. They expressed gratitude to Mack for her poise and decisive actions during the emergency. However, Mack emphasized that she was not seeking praise but rather a revision in the emergency response policies to prevent similar situations from occurring in the future.

While the woman ultimately received the help she needed, Mack highlighted the potential for dire outcomes in such emergencies. She noted that it was concerning that no one followed up with her about the incident, which was critical for improving future emergency responses.

This incident is not an isolated case; previous reports have surfaced regarding emergency alerts on Metrolinx trains. In March, reports emerged of another medical emergency on a train heading to Union Station, which went unaddressed by the staff. Mack expressed that even minor issues should be addressed promptly and deemed it essential for the safety and wellbeing of passengers using public transit.

Mack's experience underscores the importance of effective communication and swift action in emergency situations on transit systems, reaffirming her commitment to speak out for necessary improvements to prevent any future crises.