The RailStaff Awards 2024

Richard White

Network Rail High Speed

Previous Next Nominate

Jennifer Becket

Said the following about Richard White:

“On the 20th April 2018 a man arriving at Ebbsfleet station on a Eurostar train had a heart attack whilst on the escalator. He collapsed at the top of the escalator and due to the quick thinking of the team, led by SSM Richard White, a defibrillator was put onto the gentleman which advised immediate CPR should be started. CPR was applied by Richard Shaw in Eurostar until the ambulance arrived.

With an impending train full of people due at Ebbsfleet in minutes, the team arranged for screens to surround the man whilst medical attention was being provided. Arriving passengers were advised to use the stairs and lifts, ensuring that customers could reach the arrivals hall safely without disturbing or impeding the paramedics.

People with children were advised what was happening and advised parents to try and block the view of the incident as best as they can. This was met with a lot of praise from the parents who were impressed that staff would think about this so swiftly and sensitively.

The Ebbsfleet team showed how they can give an excellent duty of care to a person that was critically ill. Whilst dealing with this, they also maintained the working operation of the station causing minimum distress to the family of the man and a minimum impact to people arriving at the station.

The man was still alive and colour had returned to his face before being taken in the ambulance to hospital.

The team were complimented by the paramedics saying they had given him the best possible chance for a full recovery by acting so swiftly.

Supporting evidence

Emails received with positive feedback from senior managers within the Network Rail High Speed business.

Eurostar team also complimented Network Rail High Speed (NRHS) on the quick response and how we assisted in getting the arriving passengers through causing minimum distress.

The station received a thank you card from the gentleman and his wife Carol saying:

“Thank you does not convey the sentiment we feel towards all those who assisted John when he collapsed at your station last Friday. Without the quick action of all at Ebbsfleet and the medical team that prepared him for the air ambulance, we feel sure that he would not be alive to tell you: ‘Thank you so very much, you were wonderful. Each and every one of you.’”“