Whitley’s Corporate Security and Business Protection (CSBP) team has been recognised for its swift and professional emergency medical response by the West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS).
The team was
honoured at the 2019 WMAS Excellence in the Community Awards by receiving a
commendation from the Chief Officer. Anthony Marsh, WMAS Chief Executive, said
on the night:
“We would like to commend
this Jaguar Land Rover team for their fast and brave actions,” he said. “We
know that your colleague Paul Wagstaff suffered a cardiac arrest, but thanks to
the quick and calm actions, and training of your officers, a life was saved.
“This award recognises
your team’s excellent response and life-saving intervention.”
Gary Phillips, Corporate
Security and Business Protection Manager, who accepted the award on behalf of
the Whitley team, explained what happened that fateful night.
“Three members of
our team – Alice Barratt, Kevin Igwe and Geoff Dowell – responded to a serious
medical emergency at Whitley in a matter of minutes. It was nine in the evening
and Paul had collapsed after suffering a cardiac arrest.”
“They quickly
assessed his airways, conducted a finger sweep of his mouth and administered
CPR. He was successfully revived using the defibrillator that all our teams
carry as part of their kit. At the same time, they contacted the ambulance
service, made the area secure, and ensured the responding WMAS crew were able
to get to the location quickly.
“Everyone used their
training brilliantly and the paramedics were impressed and able to swiftly take
over.”
Gary adds that the
actions from Murray Phillips and William Allen from Powertrain also made a crucial
intervention having found Paul lying outside. They contacted the security team
immediately, and was administering CPR when the team arrived.
Geoff Dowell, Security
and Emergency Operations Supervisor, who was part of the team on duty, adds:
“It was a
challenging situation with Paul lying outside on a typically cold and dark
January night, but our training kicked-in and the three of us were able to
revive him. Kevin and Alice managed to get there first and I rushed across from
another area of the Whitley site.”
“We all train
exceptionally hard for precisely these type of situations, and our goal is to
deliver a round the clock emergency response service for our colleagues.”
Dean Jones, who
heads up the Whitley CSBP team, says they focus on having the best training
available for their crews to ensure each team possesses the right skills.
“We are always here
to protect our Jaguar Land Rover colleagues and this was an excellent example
of what we can do.
“It is important to
underline that our officers should always be contacted in these situations,
they have the skills to make a vital difference in an emergency.”
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