County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Authority annual awards Hardwick Hall Hotel, Sedgefield (From The Northern Echo)

County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Authority annual awards Hardwick Hall Hotel, Sedgefield

8:13am Monday 23rd November 2009 in

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PEOPLE of courage and dedication were recognised by the fire service at a glittering awards ceremony on Friday night.

A car-fire hero and a vigilant neighbour were among those applauded by crowds at the County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Authority annual awards.

The awards, held at Hardwick Hall Hotel, Sedgefield, County Durham, reward employees and members of the public for their contribution to community safety.

Chief executive Susan Johnson said: “This gives us an opportunity to take some time out and recognise those who help us make the fire service the most trusted, the most loved and respected public service in the country.”

Father-of-two John Bulmer, of Spennymoor, County Durham, received the chief executive officer’s Certificate of Merit after he pulled a woman from her burning car on the road between Kirk Merrington and Chilton earlier this month.

Billy Row Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinator Harold Wilsher received the Community Spirit Award.

The 67-year-old routinely visits elderly, disabled and vulnerable people in his home village, near Crook, and arranges for smoke alarms to be fitted.

The Iain Davison Memorial Trophy, for the section that made an outstanding contribution to community safety, went to Spennymoor Fire Station.

Spennymoor, a retained fire station, also won the award for station of the year.

The Dave Harkin Memorial Trophy, for road casualty reduction, went to Sedgefield Extrication Team, for the third time in four years.

Commendations were given to the officers who attended a severe house fire in West Rainton, north of Durham City, last December, and officers at a fatal road accident on the A19 in June.

Sedgefield Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership was named Partner of the Year.

Joe Haustead, John Jameson and Graeme Carr were celebrated as the winners of the Equality and Diversity Award, for promoting initiatives within the service.

Community safety officer Liam Chadwick, of Consett Fire Station, was given the Making A Difference Award for his work with the Young Firefighters’ Association in the area.

Pam Beebe, deputy personnel manager, received the Health and Safety Award.

The Youth Award went to Matthew Henderson, a teenager who used first aid to help a young woman who had had too much to drink.

The Innovation Award went to Ken Ball, for his work with County Durham and Darlington Primary Care Trust educating youngsters on fire safety.

Caterpillar, the world’s biggest construction equipment maker, took the Business Contribution Award for a pro-active approach to fire safety in the workplace.

Section of the Year went to Workshops, for their work behind the scenes repairing vehicles and installing equipment.

Certificates of recognition were also given to Hassockfield Secure Training Facility, Consett, Classic Industries Europe, in Middleton-in-Teesdale, The Hub, Stanhope, The Co-operative, Stanhope and GlaxoSmithKline, Barnard Castle.

Praise from service boss

MODEST father-of-two John Bulmer was honoured for his bravery after he saved a woman’s life when she crashed her car.

The 56-year-old, from Clyde Terrace, Spennymoor, County Durham, pulled the woman from her vehicle seconds before it went up in flames.

Susan Johnson, County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Authority chief executive, said: “The watch manager on duty said this lady would have died if this man had not acted so quickly and so selflessly.”

Speaking after receiving the award, Mr Bulmer said he was delighted and he would do the same thing again.

“She was unconscious so I said ‘you’re going to have to come out of there flower’.

“I got her arm and I pulled her out. You don’t know your own strength when things like that happen.”

Crash team faced ‘utter carnage’ on A19

UTTER carnage was how the first man on the scene described the A19 incident which claimed the life of an off-duty police officer. PC Neil Gartland’s car was crushed between two petrol tankers on the foggy dual carriageway in June, causing a 30- vehicle pile-up. The fire crews on the scene were awarded a Chief Executive Officer’s Commendation for bravery and quick-thinking. Chief executive Susan Johnson said: “This was a really challenging major incident which tested the skills of the attending crews and officers. “I am immensely proud of the expertise of the fire crews and I am confident that loss of life could have been greater but for the speed and efficiency with which they extricated trapped casualties.” Colin Drysdale, now retired, was the first firefighter on the scene. He said: “No matter how hard you train you can never expect something like this. “The officers were fantastic, a real credit to the service. “They will be very pleased with this, it is well deserved.”