Police officers awarded for life-saving efforts
Police officers have been awarded for their life-saving efforts after helping a man who collapsed at a Black Country Remembrance Day parade.
Wolverhampton's Pcso Paula Wilkes and Stourbridge office Pc Ian Fortey rushed to the aid of the 77-year-old man who collapsed as he suffered a heart attack.
The pair, along with Somerset man Mark Whittard, have been handed top national honours from the Royal Humane Society for saving the pensioner's life.
Andrew Chapman, secretary of the society, said: “This was a life and death situation. They were true heroes and undoubtedly saved the man’s life with their prompt action.
“The three of them richly deserve the awards they are to receive. This is another case which illustrates the value of as many people as possible learning CPR techniques. CPR can, and does save many lives each year and the more people who learn it the better and the more lives that are likely to be saved.”
The Stourbridge man collapsed in the road shortly before the Kinver parade marking the centenary of the end of the First World War on November 11 last year.
PC Fortey, 45, and Mr Whittard, 49, immediately began to administer cardiac pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) while 52-year-old Pcso Wilkes searched for a defibrillator.
The officer returned with a defibrillator, with several shocks administered to the man as CPR continued.
Air ambulance crew arrived after about 20 minutes, along with a ground ambulance, and paramedics soon took over.
The man took a few breaths at this point but CPR continued before he was taken to hospital, where he made a good recovery.
But, without the immediate treatment he received when he collapsed he would almost certainly have died, the society said.
The trio have now been have awarded Royal Humane Society Resuscitation Certificates for saving the man's life.
