Medal of Bravery

• Awarded on: July 16, 1984
• Invested on: November 09, 1984

In the afternoon of 12 November 1983, Robert Niford rescued a three-year-old girl from a burning house located in the community of Riverport. Mr. Niford arrived at the scene with the members of the Riverport Volunteer Fire Department and learned that the child was trapped in her bedroom, located above the living-room where the fire had originated. Several attempts had been made to reach her but the intense heat and smoke had discouraged the would-be rescuers. Not a trained firefighter, Mr. Niford nevertheless climbed a ladder and broke the bedroom window but billowing smoke forced him down. Although he had never used respiratory protection equipment before, he put on a breathing apparatus, went up the ladder and entered the room. As flames spread rapidly through the two-storey house, he found the unconscious girl and passed her to another man at the window. Victoria was revived by artificial respiration.