ANNUAL BRAVERY AWARDS PRESENTATION

One (1) resident of the Australian Capital Territory will be presented with a bravery award of The Royal Humane Society of Australasia:

on Tuesday 30 June 2009

at The Great Hall Parliament House, Canberra

at 2:00pm

The award, one Certificate of Merit will be presented by Commissioner Mick Keelty, APM, Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police.

The award recognizes the rescue from:

 

Details of the rescue are attached.

Contact:            Colin Bannister (Secretary)            (03) 9650 3233

                        Or visit our Web Site:                   www.rhsa.org.au
                                                                        (see “Press Releases”)

 

Note:                The Royal Humane Society of Australasia, formed in 1874,
                        is concerned with giving public recognition to acts of bravery
                        by making awards to those who risk their own lives to save
                        the lives of others.

                        Over 7,789 awards have been made in the Society’s 134 years’ history.

 

 

 


THE ROYAL HUMANE SOCIETY OF AUSTRALASIA

ACT CITATIONS – 2007/2008

 

CERTIFICATE OF MERIT

BRADLEY JOHN CASTLES, cleaner, aged 44 years, of Higgins, ACT, in going to the rescue of a man from a crashed and burning car at Russell, ACT on 20 July 2007.

At about 3.00am a driver lost control of his car which mounted a gutter and slid sideways before impacting with a tree with a protruding off cut limb.  This limb smashed through the driver’s window, striking the driver.

Mr Castles whilst driving saw the crashed car and stopped to investigate and saw a taxi approaching so he flashed his lights and the taxi driven by Mr Hart stopped to assist.

Both men ran to the car and saw the driver with his seatbelt still on, unconscious and slumped to the left of the car  Mr Hart put his hand on the handle of the driver’s door but was unable to open it as it had been smashed inwards then ran back to his car for a fire extinguisher.  He sprayed the fire extinguisher on the flames that were starting to appear from underneath the car.  Once the fire extinguisher was empty flames started to appear inside the vehicle.

Both men were unable to open the passenger’s door as it was locked and Mr Hart went back to the driver’s side of the car and shook the driver but received no response.  Mr Hart then took his jacket off to use it to shield himself from the flames as he tried to pull the driver from the car. 

Mr Hart and Mr Castles were then driven back by the flames, now 3-4m high and engulfing the vehicle.

(Unfortunately Mr Hart is unable to attend the ceremony)