Officers honoured for saving couple from burning building
TWO of Hillingdon’s finest have been give a Metropolitan Police excellence award after they risked their lives to save a couple from a burning building in South Ruislip.
The coveted Total Excellence Policing Awards were held on Friday February 10 in central London to recognise the great work officers have carried out across the capital.
Thousands of Londoners voted to choose their winner in the Outstanding Bravery of the Year Award, which went to PC Craig Nicholson and PC Shand Panesar from Hillingdon.
On Tuesday September 20, PCs Nicholson and Panesar arrived at the fire, in Bridgewater Road, at around 8.41pm.
Without fire safety equipment or protective clothing the pair showed what they were made of and rushed into the flame-engulfed building after learning two people were trapped inside. They were first forced out of the building by the blaze, but PC Nicholson took several deep breaths and re-entered using only his police shirt to cover his mouth and nose. Inside he was able to find a trapped man who he guided out of the building, before he located the unconscious woman and dragged her out of the house. Once outside, PC Nicholson disregarded his own breathing difficulties and started CPR until the ambulance service arrived, while PC Panesar attended to the injured man. Paramedics said the woman would have died if PC Nicholson had not rescued her from the building and carry out CPR. Outgoing Met Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe said: “These awards give us the opportunity to recognise and celebrate the courage and professionalism of our officers and police staff in saving lives, fighting crime and tackling armed and dangerous criminals.
We all joined the Met to serve and protect Londoners and make our city safe for everyone Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe
“We all joined the Met to serve and protect Londoners and make our city safer for everyone. I am proud to lead an organisation where amazing work happens every day. Today is an opportunity for me to say a final thank you to all those men and women of the Met who give so much for London every day.”