Page 16 - December 2017

THE SALAMANDER | DECEMBER 2017
Firefighters & Fire Cadets Awards 2017
Lord Lieutenant Mrs Helen Nellis presenting the Tom Smylie Memorial Trophy to Watch Commander John Murphy with Chief Fire Officer Paul Fuller
On Wednesday 6 September with our blue light partners,
evening. I was pleased everyone was able to celebrate the marvellous achievements of our Firefighters, support staff and Fire Cadets. Their actions and activities were in keeping with the spirit of everything we in the Fire and Rescue Service stands for.”
The Tom Smylie Memorial Trophy is presented annually to a member, or group of members, of the Fire and Rescue Service who, in the opinion of the adjudicating panel, made an outstanding contribution to the public or Service in one of a list of designated areas.
This trophy was donated to the Service by Mrs Isabella Smylie in 1985 in memory of her late husband, Assistant Divisional OfficerTomSmylie,someofthe family were at the awards. Watch Commander John Murphy received this award for his outstanding actions following a collision between a car and a 12 year old boy in March 2017 in St Ives, Cambridgeshire. John was on his way home after a tour of duty at Kempston Fire Station when he witnessed a car leave the road and collide with a boy who was on his bike, pinning him to a lamp post. Recognising the severity of the situation, John took control of the scene by first announcing himself to the onlookers and instructed people with appropriate action to assist him. He coordinated a group to release the handbrake from the car and remove it from the boy. He then provided medical assistance before sitting with the boy to monitor and comfort him until ambulance crews arrived.
Peter Hopkins
PR & Marketing Committee Worshipful Company of Firefighters
Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service held its annual awards evening celebrating its successes during the previous year.
This year’s honours included Watch Commander John Murphy who released a young boy crushed by a car and Fire Cadet Charlie Beresford who put out a fire in the chip shop where he worked.
Councillor Colleen Atkins, Chair of Bedfordshire Fire & Rescue Authority, said: “It was an honour to present the awards that recognise the tremendous achievements by members of our Fire & Rescue Service whose dedication and commitment helps keep the people of Bedfordshire safe. “The array of awards is impressive and they are well deserved. It is right that we recognise and reward our staff properly for the contribution they make to our community. “Many of these achievements demonstrate Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service’s ever widening role in the community and how we are working closely
embracing collaboration and continually driving forward improvements to help make the serviceevenmoreefficientand effective.
“In paying tribute to all our Operational and Support staff, I want especially to mention our ‘on-call’ firefighters and the employers who release them to do their important lifesaving work in our community. We are always looking for more on-call firefighters and would urge people to give back to their community by considering joining our firefighting family. “The families and loved ones of all our staff deserve thanks too. Recent events in London have bought into stark relief the difficulties firefighters can face and the support and love of their friends and family is a very important part of their ability to cope.
“The Awards Ceremony was an excellent evening and highlighted the crucial role of the Fire and Rescue Service in Bedfordshire.” Paul Fuller CBE QFSM, Chief Fire Officer, added, “This was an outstanding
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