Custom Protection Officer® recognised for heroism in Memphis Hotel Fire
The Brownyard Award is presented to a security professional to honour heroism in the execution of duties
Igor Kovacevic, a G4S Custom Protection Officer® who extinguished a hotel fire in Memphis and helped to evacuate 130 occupants safely, has received the Brownyard Award for Meritorious Service presented at the ASIS Foundation Dinner on October 14 in Dallas, Texas. Each year, the Brownyard Award is presented to a security professional to honour heroism in the execution of his or her duties. Mr. Kovacevic has also received the Security Officer of the Year Award from his employer, G4S Secure Solutions (USA).

When Mr. Kovacevic discovered a fire on December 14, 2009, at a Memphis, Tennessee hotel, he quickly grabbed a fire extinguisher and directed the desk clerk to call 911. He immediately cut off electricity to the affected building and began evacuating the first and second floor of the hotel. Mr. Kovacevic then made his way to the burning room and put out the flames. Driven back by the thick smoke, he exited the room to wait for the Memphis Fire Department to arrive. In addition to saving the lives of 130 hotel occupants, Mr. Kovacevic's actions also saved the client thousands of dollars in repair costs.

"We congratulate Igor Kovacevic on his well-deserved recognition," said Drew Levine, President, G4S Secure Solutions (USA). "We are very happy and honoured that a G4S Secure Solutions Custom Protection Officer® was selected for this year's Brownyard Award. Igor's dedication and heroism reflect well on the thousands of other G4S security officers who perform critical duties to protect people, property and assets for our customers throughout the country."

Founded by William H. Brownyard in 1950, the Brownyard Group provides specialised liability insurance coverage, beginning with the security industry. Brownyard first presented the award in 1987, and it has since become recognised as the most distinguished award in the security industry.

In case you missed it

Why access control is becoming a governance and cybersecurity priority
Why access control is becoming a governance and cybersecurity priority

Managing access control for a single facility is very different from overseeing dozens of locations across multiple regions. At large, complex organisations, security teams must ma...

ASSA ABLOY eCLIQ modernises Monastery access management
ASSA ABLOY eCLIQ modernises Monastery access management

Digitalising access presents a specific challenge in heritage buildings: how to protect these premises against 21st-century threats while preserving the unique building fabric? Cho...

VIVOTEK smart monitoring for river conservation
VIVOTEK smart monitoring for river conservation

Located in Nantou County, Taiwan, Zhonggua River was once heavily impacted by river engineering projects that disrupted the natural relationship between the stream and its surround...