Two Southend Prison Custody Officers win global award after saving security guard’s life

Two Prison Custody Officers have been recognised by Serco with a global award after they saved the life of a security guard. 

Tracey Green and Jo King were on duty as part of Serco’s Prisoner Escorting Court Services contract at Southend Court when they received a phone call from a member of the court security team asking if anyone could do first aid.

Tracey and Jo ran to help and on arrival found a man collapsed on the floor.  They put him into the recovery position and immediately realised that he was not breathing. By now an ermergency ‘999’ call had been made and while answering questions from the 999 operator, both Tracy and Jo gave the man CPR for 20 minutes until his pulse returned and the paramedics arrived. 

The man was airlifted to hospital where he remained on life support for three days.  Before leaving, the ambulance crew told Tracey and Jo that had it not been for them there would have been a very different outcome, but happily a week later the security guard was able to visit Southend Court to thank Tracy and Jo for saving his life.

Claire Keaney Serco’s Operations Manager, said: “We are all really proud of Tracey and Jo.  They went above and beyond, rushing to the aid of the security guard and saving his life by applying CPR to get him breathing again. This would be a daunting task even for someone who had done this before, but Tracey and Jo kept there heads and used the training they had been given during first aid.  Their actions showed immense bravery and courage in exceptional circumstances.”  

Tracey and Jo were presented with their award by Serco Chief Executive Rupert Soames and Chairman Sir Roy Gardner at an event in Birmingham marking the company’s UK winners of its Global Pulse Awards. The awards celebrate employees from among Serco’s 50,000 strong team around the world who have done extraordinary things for their colleagues, customers or communities.

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Photo caption: Tracey Green and Jo King were presented with their Global Pulse Awards by Serco Chairman Sir Roy Gardner (left) and Chief Executive Rupert Soames (Right)