TWO Burnham-on-Crouch firefighters have won service recognition awards for helping to bring a man living with dementia to safety.

Watch Manager Steve Faircloth and Crew Manager Jonathon Vincent, both on-call firefighters at the fire station in Albert Road, Burnham-on-Crouch, were presented with a Special Performance Recognition Award from Essex County Fire and Rescue Service.

Steve and Jon were travelling into Chelmsford to take part in a breathing apparatus training exercise when they noticed an elderly man walking along a busy road.

After stopping to check on the man's welfare they both felt there were possibly some issues, so they gently tried to seek a little more information. Using their training as Dementia Friends - an Alzheimer's Society initiative that gives people an insight into living with dementia and learning how to engage with people - a call was made to the fire service's control room with details and a description of the man.

Steve and Jon gained the trust of the man, allowing them to activate the Herbert Protocol that was in place – an early intervention and risk reduction scheme used by partners in Essex to help find vulnerable people who are at risk of going missing – the man was then escorted to a place of safety and they stayed with him until the police arrived.

The Herbert Protocol is a form that carers, family or friends of a vulnerable person, or the person themselves can fill in.

It contains a list of information to help the police if the person goes missing. You can find out more about the Herbert Protocol at the link to the Essex Police website here.

Station Manager Karen Nicoll at Burnham-on-Crouch Fire Station said: "The actions of Steve and Jon demonstrated how they both put their training as Dementia Friends into action with the best possible outcome.

"The man living with dementia was confused and unsafe wandering out on his own, with cars passing at high speed and the actions of Steve and Jon prevented a possible accident and led to a safe outcome.

"It's a great achievement to gain the award and be recognised by our service - well done to them both."