A protection service officer at Cowichan District Hospital has received another accolade for what his employer is calling 乌鸦传媒渁n incredible act of bravery on the job.乌鸦传媒�

Charles Kraeling has become the first Island Health employee to receive an International Award of Valour by the International Association for Healthcare Security and Safety for his efforts in disarming a man with a knife in July 2017.

In November 2017 Kraeling had been honoured with a Provincial Award of Valour by the association乌鸦传媒檚 B.C. chapter.

Kraeling responded to a Code White (a violent or volatile individual) at the hospital and found a knife-wielding man who was threatening himself, patients and staff in a four-bedroom ward.

Kraeling said something distracted the man and knife-wielder took his eyes off of Kraeling, which provided Kraeling the opportunity to grab the man乌鸦传媒檚 knife arm.

乌鸦传媒淲e had a brief struggle and I managed to get the man onto the ground, and he released the knife,乌鸦传媒� he said.

乌鸦传媒淢y partner, who was staying back until then, managed to kick the knife further away, and I handcuffed him. The nurses gave him some medication and he started to come to some realization of what was going on. He just wasn乌鸦传媒檛 thinking in a right state of mind until then.乌鸦传媒�

Kraeling said no one was injured in the incident and the man was very apologetic for his actions.

乌鸦传媒淗e really didn乌鸦传媒檛 mean to be violent,乌鸦传媒� he said.

Kraeling was honoured this week in Chicago at the International Association for Healthcare Security and Safety乌鸦传媒檚 annual conference.

乌鸦传媒淥ur Protection Services Officers must confront many challenges in their work lives and often go above and beyond in the call of duty to protect patients and staff as Charles bravely demonstrated,乌鸦传媒� said Leah Hollins, Island Health board of directors chair. 乌鸦传媒淚t is gratifying for us all to see him recognized and celebrated by his peers and on an international stage.乌鸦传媒�

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sarah.simpson@cowichanvalleycitizen.com
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