Security personnel are often first responders to a diverse range of incidents and emergency situations and the actions that they take can directly lead to the saving of lives.

Whilst these professionals don’t seek accolades or recognition, the Saved a Life Medal programme provides a way in which the community can support and recognise those who demonstrate the very best in security professionalism. The award programme will also help to recognise our industry’s security personnel who face the daily potential of making critical decisions or taking action to save a life or property.

The NZSA welcomes nominations from employers, customers, work colleagues, emergency service providers and members of the public who can verify that the actions of a Security Officer, or a Security Team, directly contributed to the saving of a life.

All nominations will be assessed by the NZSA executive, and recipients of the Saved a Life Medal will be recognised and profiled in the bi-monthly NZSA newsletter and on the NZSA social media platforms, and will also receive an attractive inscribed award which they will retain.

Recipients of the Saved a Life Medal will be honoured with a role call at the annual New Zealand Security Awards event.

Qualifying Criteria

The actions of the security worker should fall within the following situations:

• Assisting or removing a person, or persons, from life threatening situations
• Providing care to a person, or persons, that has resulting in their surviving life-threatening injuries
• Preventing a person, or persons, from causing life threatening harm to others
• Preventing a person, or persons from causing life threatening harm to themselves
• Identifying and removing risks that if unmitigated, could have caused life threatening harm to others

Nominations must be received within four months of the incident and be supported by evidence such as media reporting, letters of acknowledgement or witness statements.