Sarah Kriel believes she did the right thing when she dialled 911 after she saw a fellow passenger go into medical distress.

Kriel was on a Kelowna city bus on April 20 when she saw a woman go limp and drop her belongings. But she was surprised to get a scolding from a transit supervisor for calling an ambulance.

BC Transit has since apologized, saying Kriel acted responsibly.

"This woman that was chatty went silent and when she started moving she started flashing me her medical bracelet," Kriel said.

She alerted the bus driver of the situation, who then pulled over.

Sarah Kriel seen here with her 5-month old daughter Sabine Kriel, who was on the bus with her when the incident occurred. (Sarah Kriel)

Around the same time, the driver made a phone call, Kriel said, and his transit supervisor soon showed up.

Kriel said the supervisor helped the stricken woman off the bus. But Kriel was surprised when he grew upset with her for calling an ambulance.

"He then got very aggressive verbally with me and he just got up on my face and said 'Never call 911. You tell the bus driver to make the call,' " she said.

"He told me that it costs the city $1,000 every single time an ambulance is dispatched," she said.

Kriel described the transit supervisor as dismissive and rude.

BC Transit apologizes

BC Transit and the supervisor have both apologized to Kriel.

"Things can be said in a stressful situation that can come out the wrong way," said Drew Snider, BC Transit spokesperson.

"The way it sounds, she did things right from a customer point of view," Snider said.

He said the woman does have a medical condition and the transit system is familiar with it. The woman was taken off the bus and then driven home after being screened by paramedics.

Snider said the best protocol for a transit passenger who witnesses a medical incident is to immediately alert the bus operator of the situation.

"Then the bus driver can make the call, can contact the transit supervisor and can contact the ambulance," he said.

Kriel said she would do it all over again if she had to.

"People need to take action when they see something like this happening. If it is serious or not, leave that to the medical professionals to make that call."

She would also like to see posters on the bus that guide people through the steps to take in case of an emergency.

With files from the CBC's Daybreak South.

To hear the full story listen to the audio labelled: Good Samaritan slammed by transit supervisor for calling 911.