A FIREFIGHTER who saved a man’s life during a heroic river rescue is to be rewarded for his bravery this week.

Darlington man Allan Richardson was on the crew on the night of the incident in February, when a man jumped into the River Tyne.

The 46-year-old, along with Newcastle officer Andrew Nelson, led the operation to save the semi-conscious man from the freezing waters.

The pair, both firefighters with Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service’s swift water rescue team, will receive the Chief Fire Officer’s Commendation for bravery at a ceremony tomorrow.

The crew was called to the banks of the Tyne in Newcastle city centre in the early hours of February 4, after witnesses reported seeing a man threatening to jump from the Swing Bridge.

By the time the crew arrived, he had already jumped and was struggling in the water. Mr Richardson and Mr Nelson had no choice but to dive into the water to save him.

“By the time we reached the casualty it was clear he was badly affected by hypothermia as he was drifting in and out of consciousness,”

said Mr Richardson.

“We had to support him and keep his head out of the water until the fire boat arrived.

“The low tide added to the complexity of the rescue, as it made it hard for the fire boat coxswain who had to navigate the different depths of the river in the dark.”

The casualty was eventually lifted from the water and given oxygen and foil blankets on board the crew’s fire boat. He was then transported to the quayside, and to hospital by ambulance. He later made a full recovery.

Mr Nelson said: “It certainly was a challenging rescue, but it was great to be able to put all my swift water rescue skills to the test. My family are extremely proud that I’ve received this award, and so am I.”

Chief fire officer Iain Bathgate will present firefighters Nelson and Richardson with their awards.

Mr Bathgate said: “Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue staff constantly demonstrate their professionalism and dedication when they are on duty, and the courage and skill shown by Andrew and Allan serve as excellent examples of this fact.

“Thanks to their actions, a man’s life was saved. They are a credit to Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service and it is with great pleasure that I am presenting them with this award.”