Much of the time, Guilford County security officers are doing mundane things like checking to see that doors are locked and telling people at the entrance of a courthouse to remove their belts.  However, on Thursday, March 21, one Guilford County security officer got some very special recognition from the Guilford County Board of Commissioners.

At the start of the commissioners meeting that night, the board honored Guilford County Security Department Lt. Todd Foreman, who did something impressive: He saved a life.

Guilford County Security Director Jeff Fowler accepted the honor for Forman at the meeting.  When Fowler was asked before the meeting why Foreman wouldn’t be there to accept it, Fowler said Forman is a humble person who is uncomfortable being recognized.

The honor was bestowed on Forman for an event that occurred on county property several months ago.  At about 2 pm on Monday, Dec. 3, Foreman was at his post in the Old Guilford County Court House at 301 W. Market St. when he received a report of a person in medical distress in the Guilford County Register of Deeds office in the BB&T Building at 201 W. Market St. right next door.

According to the resolution honoring Foreman, he “quickly responded to the scene where he found an unresponsive middle-aged man laying prostrate in the floor of the Register of Deeds Office.  Lt. Foreman observed the man was unconscious and not breathing.  Without hesitation, Lt. Foreman began to perform CPR and was able to revive the patient.  He remained with the patient until the arrival of Guilford County EMS.”

At the time of the incident in December, Guilford County Register of Deeds Jeff Thigpen was very complimentary of his deeds staff who, when the man collapsed at the front window, shot into action.

“It was amazing the way everyone came together to help,” Thigpen said at that time.

Thigpen said other responders also got to the scene very soon.  Minutes after Foreman began administering CPR, Greensboro Fire Department responders arrived, and, then, two minutes later, Emergency Medical Services workers were on the scene.

Thigpen said the man’s color was purple at one point and county staff wasn’t sure their actions had done any good, but Thigpen added that he later got a report that the man was alive at the hospital and being treated.