Securitas has scooped another personal best at the 2015 British Security Industry Association (BSIA) Awards.
The national awards pay tribute to the outstanding work of security officers over the past 12 months and Securitas was honoured with a record six accolades including two out of three honours in the ‘Outstanding Act’ category.
The first ‘Outstanding Act’ award went to Tim Prodger from Somerset for his vigilance and integrity throughout an ‘intense incident’ which happened during his shift at a major London supermarket. Tim took action when he overheard a man in the store’s toilets attempting to take his own life. After breaking down the toilet cubicle door, Tim administered first aid to the man, who had already lost a great deal of blood. Tim stayed with him until paramedics arrived and a store spokesperson said that, without him, the man would have undoubtedly died.
‘Outstanding Act’ number two was handed to Chris Fielding from Chesterfield. A Chesterfield Royal Hospital security supervisor of four years, Chris received the award as a result of his initiative and professionalism throughout a potentially dangerous and challenging incident. While on duty, Chris and a colleague were called to one of the wards where there were reports of a volatile and aggressive man. Shortly after arriving on the ward, the man managed to escape restraint, running away on several occasions and attempting to take his own life.
Chris repeatedly prevented this from happening, firstly reasoning with the man and then physically stepping in. The man switched between pleading and aggression each time and, at one point, threatened the lives of the security officers. On his last attempt, the man locked himself in a room and, unable to gain access, Chris used his torch to strike the glass repeatedly in order to be able to get his hand through it and unlock the door from the inside. Once inside, he immediately restrained the man who was then escorted by three security officers and two police constables to a holding ward.
In the same category, officer Adam Murphy was given a special commendation for his bravery in the early morning hours of September 2014. While driving to work, Adam witnessed a violent crime happening in the street involving a deadly weapon. He instinctively drove his van between the two brawlers in order to separate them. After several exchanges of the weapon and its subsequent discarding, Adam and a member of the public exited their vehicles to assist the wounded man. The attacker escaped, however Adam gave chase managing to restrain the offender shortly afterwards.
An award for ‘Best Newcomer’ went to Barrow in Furness security officer and emergency medical technician, Paul Wilson, who joined the security team at BAE Systems in August 2013, bringing his past experience as an emergency medical technician with him. The introduction of Securitas personnel into BAE’s existing in-house customer team was a new concept but Paul’s personal skills soon proved extremely important in not only dealing with employees in sensitive medical situations, but also to ensure his integration and relationship building with the customer.
In May 2014 Paul’s professionalism and attention to detail won him a Securitas Community Award for Vigilance after he identified a concern with a patient during a routine medical examination. During the patient’s subsequent recovery, his surgeon informed him he was lucky he had been diagnosed quickly with Paul’s efforts, as a delay may have resulted in a major stroke.
Bristol’s Sainsbury’s Emerald Park Team received a ‘Best Team’ award for greatly reducing damages in and around the site and receiving outstanding KPI results. The team manages the flow of traffic throughout significant gas tank installation projects, assisting in securing the site and making sure staff and visitors have the correct access cards and authorisation.
The team also supports the Emerald Park charity, Frenchay After Burns Club. Their dedication and enthusiasm saw five of the security team volunteer to participate in a charity walk, completing the Brecon Beacons peaks in one day. The team of five walked nine miles, climbed a total of 2,907 feet in six hours and raised £1,000 for the charity, which supports young burns victims and their families.
Finally, the coveted ‘BSIA Chairman’s Award for Contribution to the Community’ went to the company’s ‘Tour of Securitas’ – a charity initiative which raised over £3,000 for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA). The virtual Tour began in Edinburgh on 8 September 2014 and involved over 800 officers and support staff across 21 branches, cycling on static bikes to help raise awareness of safety in the workplace and raise vital funds for the charity. Finishing in Uxbridge five days later, the Tour clocked up a total of 2,677 miles.
The awards were announced at the BSIA’s Annual Luncheon which took place at the London Hilton Park Lane on Wednesday 15 July. The haul was, yet again, a personal best for Securitas staff, who, earlier this year, scooped a record-breaking 14 awards at the regional stages.
Brian Riis Nielsen, Securitas Country President, said: “Our officers prove time after time that they are prepared to go above and beyond in their line of duty and we’re very proud, once again of their achievements and recognition.”
