Two members of Swansea Council’s Neighbourhood Support Unit have been honoured for their bravery for saving the life of a tenant caught in a burning building.
Bob Griffiths and Steve Davies, pictured, were among the NSU team that was given the top honour in the Council’s annual staff awards for plunging into a burning flat, putting out the flames and dragging the tenant to safety.
The Neighbourhood Support Unit, part of Swansea Council’s Housing Service, provides frontline foot and mobile patrols and works directly with service users on housing estates across the city.
Bob and Steve took action earlier this year when the pair were out on patrol in the city heard a smoke alarm going off in a block of flats in Griffith John Street.
When they found where the noise was coming from, they broke down the door, put out the flames in the living room and pulled the unconscious tenant from his bedroom and brought him to safety.
Bob said: “The living room was well alight when we got there. All you could see when we looked through the letter box was smoke and an opaque orange light from the flames.
“We forced our way in and put the fire out. The flat was still full of smoke and it was only on our way out that we noticed someone was in the bedroom. We went back in and dragged him out.”
Steve said the fire had been blamed on a scented candle setting furniture alight and added: “In situations like that you assess the situation based on your training and experience and make a decision about what to do. Fortunately it all turned out OK.”
Their manager Paul Rees praised the pair’s dedication and said that while such incidents were thankfully rare, NSU members have often stepped in to help local people.
“They do get at a lot of training and they are taught about how to risk assess situations. But you can’t legislate for all the specific kinds of things they might have to deal with. They have to use their skills and experience too.
“They make a tremendous contribution to their communities and this is recognition of that.”
Swansea Council recognises staff achievements through the Service Excellence Awards every year.
Carol Pritchard, of Killay Library, won the unsung hero award and shared the top prize with the Neighbourhood Support Unit.
Carol, who’s worked at Killay Library for 22 years, was recognised for offering the ultimate customer service experience and for keeping Killay Library’s rhyme time class going when another member of staff left.
Carol even took on an elderly customer’s dog when the lady became very ill and was also praised for her friendliness, her knowledge of the local area and her unwavering commitment to improving the library where she works.
Like all unsung heroes, Carol was modest about her achievement. She said: “I’ve been working at the Killay Library for 22 years. I just love the job and meeting people. There’s always something different going on every day.”
Paul Smith, Swansea Council Chief Executive, said: “The Service Excellence Awards is a wonderful scheme because it gives the chance to say thank you to the staff who have gone the extra mile for the people we serve.
“The services that we provide run 24 hours a day and touch everyone who lives in the City and County of Swansea.
“It’s a real privilege to work for a Local Authority where so many people are willing to go beyond the call of duty.
“The winners of the Service Excellence Awards and the shortlisted candidates are illustrative of so much hard work and commitment that often goes unnoticed.”
