Newbury firefighter hailed for his heroics
Off duty fireman was first on scene of Prior's Court minibus crash
A NEWBURY firefighter who was the first on the scene of the Prior’s Court crash has received an award.
Mike Dumas was off duty when the collision occurred on the M4 between Hungerford and Chieveley.
Mr Dumas, who is based at Newbury Fire Station, received emergency responder of the year for the action he took following the fatal crash.
Three young people with autism – who were on the minibus – have also been recognised for their bravery.
Mr Dumas and deputy chief fire officer Steve Foye visited Prior’s Court last Friday to present the three young people – Ricardo, Ben and Peter – with awards.
Prior’s Court chief executive Mike Robinson said: “I want to pay special recognition to those who attended the scene and how they coped with being faced with three severely-autistic young people, none of who had any verbal language, and all were understandably very anxious and in pain.
“At Prior’s Court we spend years understanding the unique ways our young people see the world so we can help them cope with life better.
“The extraordinary professionals on the scene had to manage this situation from a standing start.
“We have been blessed that all three young people involved have recovered from their physical injuries, and have all settled back into life at Prior’s Court.
“Thankfully, their severe autism has meant that they have little memory of ‘the big traffic jam’ as one of the young people refers to the accident.
“We really do not know how lucky we were to have such expert help in our time of need.
“On behalf of everyone at Prior’s Court, and particularly those directly touched by the tragedy, a huge thank you.
“You will forever be part of the Prior’s Court family.”
Representatives from the fire service were recognised by the chief fire officer for their efforts at the ceremony, alongside Thames Valley Police, South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, and Thames Valley Air Ambulance.
The awards were presented at the Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service annual awards ceremony on Friday, September 27.
