PC Richard Rees - DIVISIONAL COMMENDATION
Three police officers who re-started the breathing of an Inkberrow man who had hanged himself at home have been commended for their efforts.
Although he was later pronounced dead in hospital, the officers had “done everything they could to give him the best chance of survival,” said Ch. Supt. Jane Horwood, head of policing in South Worcestershire.
PCs Richard Rees and Jo Thomas were sent to the address on 28th March after a Social Services crisis team reported that a man had told them that he was going to hang himself. He had made previous attempts on his life and the threats were believed to be genuine.
They discovered the man - unconscious and not breathing - on the upper landing partially slumped on the floor, with a rope around his neck attached to the banister and holding the upper part of his body off the floor.
While Jo ran to the kitchen to get a knife to cut the rope, Richard managed to lift the man high enough to slacken it and take it from around his neck.
“Richard checked the man, who was still warm, and found a very slight pulse. He began chest compressions while Jo began mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Almost immediately, PC Paul Lawman arrived and took over the chest compressions while Richard took up the mouth-to-mouth actions.
“Jo waited outside to direct the ambulance crew in and CPR was continued by the officers for about 10-15 minutes until two first responders arrived and took over.
“The man was taken to hospital still alive and breathing but, sadly, it was subsequently established that he was brain-dead and his life support was terminated. Nevertheless all three officers had done everything they could to give him the best chance of survival,” added Ch. Supt. Horwood.
PCs Rees, Thomas and Lawman were commended for heir efforts to save the life of a man who took his own life by hanging.