Michael Van Baast will receive the Bravery Medal for his efforts when he rescued a man trapped in a burning car.
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In September 2017, Mr Van Baast rescued Harden’s Jacob Prosser from his crashed car near Cootamundra.
“Without hesitation, Mr Van Baast got out of his vehicle and approached the vehicle. He saw the male driver was trapped by the legs and he tried several times to prize open the driver's door to get to the man,” the citation for the Bravery Medal reads.
“As the flames became more intense and began to enter the interior of the vehicle, he gripped the driver's door and bent the frame backwards allowing him access to the injured driver. He quickly grabbed the man and managed to pull him out of the vehicle and away to a safe area as fire engulfed the car.”
It took around a minute after Mr Van Baast arrived for the fire to grow from a smoulder to a blaze.
“It dawned on me that what I had done was pretty dangerous,” he said.
“It’s a risk that I’ve accepted. If I put my safety first, he was definitely going to die, no ifs, no buts or maybes.
“The firies weren’t going to get there in time. I didn’t know if I was going to get him out, but I had to have crack.”
Mr Van Baast’s heroic rescue was recorded all on a dashboard camera in his vehicle, which is normally used to protect people involved in traffic incidents.
“There’s plenty of occasions when people have had traffic incidents and there’s been a dispute over events, but the camera never lies,” he said.
The footage of the rescue has since spread far and wide and has also been used by Fire and Rescue NSW.
Earlier this year, Mr Van Baast was honoured with a Commissioner’s Commendation from Fire and Rescue NSW.
He’s also had plenty of people recognise him around Cootamundra thanks to his efforts that night.
“A lot of people say that it was lucky I came by, because they say they couldn’t have been able to do the same,” he said.
“Before that night I would have said the same.
“I couldn’t have have lived with myself afterwards if I hadn’t done everything possible.”
Mr Van Baast will be presented with the Bravey Medal by Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove later this year.
“We are fortunate as a community to have so many outstanding people willing to put themselves in harm’s way to assist others in need, and it is only fitting that they have been recognised through the Australian Honours system,” Sir Peter Cosgrove said.
Declan Rurenga
Declan Rurenga was the editor of Griffith's Area News and Leeton's Irrigator until September 2023. Before landing at the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area, he reported news in Junee, Wagga Wagga, Orange and Cootamundra.
Declan Rurenga was the editor of Griffith's Area News and Leeton's Irrigator until September 2023. Before landing at the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area, he reported news in Junee, Wagga Wagga, Orange and Cootamundra.
