Volunteering to don a bullet-proof vest and join the rescue party for a wounded police officer has earned Hastings advanced paramedic Stephen Smith a bravery honour.
Mr Smith was awarded the New Zealand Bravery Medal for his brave actions to help the wounded officer during the Napier siege.
On arrival at the
cordon, the St John Hawke's Bay district operations manager provided immediate assistance to one police officer, before being asked by police to head into the danger zone and attend to seriously wounded constable Grant Diver.
Knowing the last few metres would be in the line of fire from the gunman's last known position, the paramedic was fitted with a police officer's ballistics vest.
"I was grateful for the loan of it, I would've liked one with a bigger chestplate but they don't make them six foot tall," Mr Smith said.
"At the time nerves didn't really feature, I'd heard gunfire and seen a car with bullet holes in it while we treated the first officer so was under no illusions. It did seem unusual walking down Chaucer Road towards a situation that people would normally want to run away from."
He both treated Mr Diver for a serious abdominal injury and helped in his evacuation on a stretcher. Mr Smith said the 2009 siege was "more intense" than working in Dunedin during the Aramoana mass shootings.
"This would be the most challenging event I've had to deal with in my career. Although I was working with St John in Dunedin when the Aramoana incident occurred, I spent 14 hours there. Chaucer Road was certainly a lot more intense.
"I was surprised that someone thought I was worthy of the award, at the same time I felt honoured."
