Top national honours for police who battled to try to save fight victim in Whitby
Three police officers who fought in vain to save the life of the victim of a fight in Whitby, in March this year, have been awarded top national honours by the Royal Humane Society for their actions.
The incident in Flowergate happened shortly before midnight on March 15.
Police were called and arrived to find the man lying on the ground unconscious and not breathing with a large crowd at the scene.
The three officers, PCs Harry Bean, Kathryn Burgum and Dan Hardey immediately began taking it in turns to administer cardiac pulmonary resuscitation to the man and trying to clear his airway of blood and fluids.
Sadly though, despite all their efforts, he did not survive.
However, the three officers have now been awarded Royal Humane Society Certificates of Commendation for their fight to save him and have also received the personal praise of Andrew Chapman, Secretary of the Society.
“This was a harrowing incident in which, as well as fighting to bring the man back to life, the officers also had to contend with the crowd of people who were there,” said Mr Chapman.
“They did their very best to save the man, no-one could have done more.
"Sadly he could not be revived and died at the scene.
“However, the officers richly deserve the awards they are to receive for their fight to save him.
"At the same time though there are many incidents where lives are saved and those involved never receive awards they deserve because their names have never been put forward.
“We appeal to members of the public if they hear of incidents in which lives have been saved, sometimes in circumstances where the life savers have put their own lives in danger, to bring them to our attention.”
The roots of the Royal Humane Society stretch back nearly 250 years.
It is the premier national body for honouring bravery in the saving of human life.
It was founded in 1774 by two of the day's eminent medical men, William Hawes and Thomas Cogan. Their primary motive was to promote techniques of resuscitation.
However, as it emerged that numerous people were prepared to put their own lives at risk to save others, the awards scheme evolved, and today a variety of awards are made depending on the bravery involved.