A bus driver who helped save the life of former Brighton and Hove council leader and mayor Bill Randall has been honoured at an awards ceremony in Eastbourne.
Debra Russell received the Honouring Public Service award at the South East Coast Ambulance Service Sussex Awards, held at The Grand Hotel on Thursday 22 October.
The Brighton and Hove bus driver was working in June when she spotted members of the public helping Mr Randall at a bus stop in Telscombe Cliffs.
She brought her bus to a safe stop and, with help from another motorist, pulled him from bushes where he had collapsed.
Drawing on her experience as a former nurse, Debra recognised that he was in cardiac arrest and began CPR, continuing until ambulance crews arrived.
The pair were reunited at the ceremony, with Mr Randall joining Debra on stage as she was recognised for helping save his life.
Josh Tonks, the ambulance service’s Head of Operations for Brighton, Hove and Mid Sussex, attended the incident and nominated Debra for the award.
He praised her calm response and determination to act during the critical moments before crews arrived.
Other recipients included operational team leader Steph Meech, who was recognised for supporting community first responders through mentoring, training and help following difficult incidents.
The service’s frequent caller team received the Team of the Year award for its work helping vulnerable patients with complex needs access appropriate care.
Over the past year, the team helped manage almost 20,000 incidents involving frequent callers. Around 40 per cent of frequent callers now have a personalised patient response plan, with virtual clinical consultations offered in the first instance.
Rachel Murphy was commended for strengthening financial governance and leadership, while Steve Offer was recognised for supporting colleagues and students and championing fairness.
The evening also celebrated long-serving ambulance staff and volunteers, including presentations of the King’s Ambulance Service Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct.
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