Bradley Burke receives his commendation from DCO Bill Johnstone
Jeffcott Fire Brigade Captain Bradley Burke has received the Chief Officer’s Commendation for Courage after risking his life to rescue a truck driver from a burning vehicle, in late 2023.
It was while driving through Jeffcott in the state’s northwest, Captain Burke saw a semi-trailer carrying grain leave the road and crash into trees.
Acting instinctively, he pulled over and ran toward the wreckage.
"I saw the truck veer off and thought he was avoiding a bump, but then he kept going straight into the trees," Captain Burke said.
“The first thing I did was ring my brother James also a CFA member, who was only 6 minutes away.
“He called 000 to alert emergency services.
“As I approached the crash, my first thought was, ‘I need to find the driver.’ The door was pinned against a tree, but I heard him inside."
Finding the driver wedged between the seats, he realised the driver’s side door was blocked.
"I had to tear away the bonnet, break the glass, and climb onto the engine bay to reach him," he said.
As he worked to free the driver, fire ignited near the rear of the cabin and spread quickly.
"By the time I pulled him free, flames were spreading.”
Despite sustaining lacerations, Captain Burke pulled the driver to safety through the broken windscreen.
Not long after he had freed the driver, the truck was fully engulfed in flames.
“James stayed on the phone to 000 and rendered first aid until paramedics arrived. Which allowed me to organise more CFA appliances to respond to the scene, as the fire was starting to get away.
“Thankfully crews arrived quickly and were able to stop it spreading.”
The driver was taken into the care of paramedics and has since made a full recovery.
"You don’t think, you just do it. The priority was getting him out and making sure no one else was inside,” Captain Burke said.
CFA District 18 Assistant Chief Fire Officer Gavin Wright praised Captain Burke’s actions.
“He acted with incredible bravery under extreme pressure,” Gavin said.
“His quick thinking and determination saved a life that day, and his actions are truly worthy of this recognition.”
Upon receiving his award at Donald Fire Station on Saturday night, Captain Burke insisted he was just doing his job.
"It’s humbling to receive this award, but my only thought was getting the driver out safely, I didn’t think about anything else," he said.
"I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. If it were me in that truck, I’d hope someone would do the same.
“It’s what we do as firefighters. We’re here to protect our communities, and that’s all I was trying to do.”
Captain Burke is now one of just 19 recipients of the Chief Officer’s Commendation for Courage since its introduction in 2012.