Riverina paramedics have been recognised for their bravery at the 2016 NSW Ambulance graduation in Sydney on Friday.
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Two Wagga paramedics, Darren Rudd and Brett Campbell, received Commissioner’s Unit Citations for Courage for rescuing residents from flooded dwellings at Adelong near Tumut in 2010.
Cootamundra paramedic Andrew Barton was also given the same honour for rescuing an elderly couple from a flooded causeway.
On October 15, 2010, Mr Rudd and Mr Campbell were involved in a flood water rescue and treatment of multiple patients while placing themselves at extreme risk entering rapid floodwaters.
Mr Rudd said there was widespread overland, riverine flooding during heavy downpours and he and Mr Campbell were deployed to the Tumut area following a request by the SES for swift water technicians.
“A big water tank had come down and had dammed up the bridge which was in the upstream part of the main town of Adelong,” Mr Rudd said. “As we entered (an elderly man’s) house the water was ankle height. By the time we rescued him and got him back to our vehicle, it was waist-high.”
Despite the danger, Mr Rudd said he and Mr Campbell were doing what they had been trained to do.
