Gemma is an SIA licensed door supervisor from the Midlands. She won the frontline award at the Women in Security Awards in 2020 for her work during the coronavirus pandemic. Gemma reflects on her experiences over the past 5 years of keeping people safe in different settings.
I started working as an unlicensed event steward at Utilita Arena Birmingham. I got my SIA door supervisor licence five years ago after speaking to a friend at work about doing my qualification. On a typical day, I’d keep people safe by checking the emergency exits and looking out for hazards at my post. I’d check people’s tickets, help them to their seats and make sure everyone left safely.
I’d only been licensed for a couple of years when the pandemic happened. I was due to be put on furlough but volunteered and was placed at Birmingham Women’s Hospital. Safety then, was all about screening people on entry and dealing with visitors who were upset about access restrictions. I supported pregnant patients by carrying bags and even helped someone in labour in the car park!
One of the most difficult days was when a man came in shouting that his baby had died. He was clearly distressed. I spoke to him to calm him down a few times. Later, I was called back to the delivery suite where the matron told me the sad news that the baby was stillborn. The dad was walking around with the baby and wanted to take them back to the ward. I put on Personal Protective Equipment and asked the man if I could hold his baby. I treated this baby as if it was alive, and rocked and held its hand. The man calmed right down and followed me to the room.
This brought back some memories as I lost a child to cot death at 4 months old. The midwives at the hospital were amazing support for me through it all. A few weeks later the couple came back to speak to the bereavement midwives and brought me some flowers as a thank you for what I had done.
I left the hospital in 2021 and went back to working at the arena. Since then, I’ve been promoted as a Behavioural Detection Officer, working undercover to identify risks to safety. I also work backstage as a team leader, getting close to the artists. I use what I learned from my ACT (Action Counters Terrorism) training when I patrol, looking out for suspicious activity. If I see anything, I tell my colleagues in the control room. Reporting suspicious behaviour can save lives, so I’m proud to do this role to help keep everyone at the arena safe.
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