Three employees of Daviot House Care Home have received special recognition awards for their actions to protect residents from a wildfire.
Mel Walker, Andrew Rodden and Steve Gordon were praised for their “resilience and integrity in the face of an extraordinary situation” as a mile-long inferno tore through Inverness last June.
It came within just a hundred yards of the home which has more than ninety residents.
Steve Gordon, Estates and Facilities manager for the Meallmore Group, spotted the fire while on his morning walk of the premises, and rushed back to the facility to warn both staff and patients.
While a full evacuation was not necessary, preparations had to be put in place to move residents if the blaze reached the scenic house.
Steve, Andrew and Mel had to act quickly to arrange medication and plan a full evacuation procedure in case the worst happened, and were singled out for their quick thinking and decisiveness.
The accolade was presented to the trio at the annual Meallmore Colleague Awards at the Dunblane Hydro, where they received a standing ovation.
‘Everybody pulled together’ during crisis
Andrew said: “I’m very proud of the Meallmore company as a whole – during the crisis everybody pulled together, they supported us and the emergency services. Everyone – especially Steve – was just top notch. We were minutes from evacuating, but thankfully that didn’t happen.”
Mel added: “We’ve been through the mill this year, but we came out the other side together as a team.
“We’re so humbled and appreciative of this recognition.”
Staying calm was key as fire raged
Cillian Hennessey, Managing Director of Meallmore, said: “These three colleagues have shown dedication, quick logical thinking, and outstanding values in helping to manage what was a very challenging situation.
“Their ability to remain calm under pressure and think on their feet was truly remarkable.
“They ensured the safety and wellbeing of our team members and vulnerable residents and went above and beyond in coordinating the response efforts along with the emergency services.”