Quick thinking cop hailed hero
DALBY police officer Chris Metcalf has been hailed a hero by his peers after rescuing a man from Myall Creek this week.
The incident on Tuesday morning resulted in a 48-yearold man being taken to Dalby Hospital in a critical condition, before then being transported to Brisbane in a stable condition.
Constable Metcalf and his partner Senior Constable Ange Gates were called to the creek after the man had jumped from the Charles Drew Bridge.
Reports suggested the man was heavily intoxicated and once in the creek struggled to keep his head above water.
Const Metcalf said when he got to the bank of the creek, everything was instinctive.
“Several roadworkers were looking over the edge (of the bridge) in dismay, waving at me,” Const Metcalf said.
“As I started running from the (Criterion Hotel) down to the walkway to the creek I just dumped my gear and jumped in.”
Const Metcalf said the creek was surprisingly deep, making the swim to the man and back slightly more difficult.
He said he was able to drag the man back to the bank, but relied on help to get him out of the water.
“He wasn’t breathing at that stage when we got him out,” he said.
“A good Samaritan came down and he helped pull him out.
“Once (Snr Const Gates) and that fella helped, they threw him onto the ground and that got some stuff out of his lungs and started some shallow breathing.”
The Queensland Ambulance Service arrived after the man was pulled out of the water, and immediately began treatment on him.