Jennifer Becket

Said the following about St Pancras Station Team:

“A gentleman in the station suffered a heart attack. Due to the quick thinking of the team, immediate interventions were undertaken to protect the gentleman’s health and privacy until emergency services arrived. Despite the seriousness of the event, the safety and operation of the station was fully considered throughout.

On the evening of 14 June 2018, a customer suffered a heart attack in the station.

Shift Station Manager Poonam Degan was alerted by Customer Service Assistant Elena Stoica that a member of public had become seriously unwell. Poonam proceeded to immediately organise her team to give the gentleman the best possible care whilst maintaining the management of the station.

Elena had immediately contacted the emergency services and guided them to the gentleman on their arrival. Fortunately, a retired paramedic was passing through the station and was able to begin CPR until the emergency services reach the scene.

Screens were used to maintain the gentleman’s privacy and to not disturb or upset other members of the public. Station Support Assistant Tyrone Chambers, despite having finished his shift rushed to arrange these screens at the scene, this also enabled the paramedics to work unhindered.

With St Pancras being a constantly busy station, Customer Service Assistants, Cedric Coutinho and Ron Wilson liaised with the Shift Station Manager, changing the escalator flows to ensure that members of the public could move safely around the station without disturbing or impeding the paramedics. Members of the public were also advised of other methods to travel around the station safely. Many members of station team rushed to provide assistance and cover any gaps that were provided by those already present.

After the gentleman became stable enough to be moved he was taken to hospital by ambulance and was thankfully breathing and talking – the emergency services credited the stations team for their part in saving the gentleman’s life. The way they rushed to provide aid and maintain the safe running of the station at the same time was a testament to the team.

After the event, Poonam ensured that she undertook duty of care to her team. She provided them with contact numbers for the employee assistance team, and also for the local ambulance service. This was to help them if they felt affected by anything they had witnessed. She made the decision that one team member was so shaken by the experience that they shouldn’t be at work and arranged for a taxi to take them home.

She then sat and wrote an email of praise to her team about their actions and let them know the condition of the gentleman as he left the station.“