Bomb scare survivor honoured

THE Sydney schoolgirl who had a collar bomb placed around her neck has been cited for a bravery award along with the courageous police officers who helped calm her during the 10-hour ordeal.

Also honoured in the latest round of Australian Bravery Decorations is a schoolteacher who rescued his surfer mate during a shark attack and an Australian woman caught up in last year’s Brussels airport terror incident.

Maddie Pulver — then an 18-year-old high school student — had a suspected explosive device placed around her neck in August 2011 by a balaclava-clad home intruder and it took the Police Rescue and Bomb Disposal Unit almost 10 hours to discover it was fake and remove it.

Along with Maddie, 14 police also received a group bravery citation from Governor-General Peter Cosgrove. Senior Constable Karen Lowden was awarded the highest honour — a Star of Courage — for “conspicuous courage”.

“Despite the unknown danger of the device, Constable Lowden remained with the woman and liaised through an open door with the woman’s father and other police officers,” her award states.

Schoolteacher and surfer Joel Trist, from the NSW South Coast, was among nine people to receive the Star of Courage. On March 30 last year, Mr Trist was surfing about 150m off Bombo beach near Kiama with friend Brett Connellan when he heard yelling and looked up to see his friend thrashing in the water and “a shark attacking him”.

“I just went on autopilot, I had to help him,” Mr Trist said.

His friend was attacked on the thigh and had lost his board, so Mr Trist not only paddled towards him, but slid into the water to drag his injured friend onto his own surfboard and paddle him to shore.

Annie Weemaes was travelling through Brussels airport in March last year when two terrorist nail bombs were detonated inside the departure terminal. She went to the aid of victims, treating wounds, and calling loved ones.