TWENTY-four CFA volunteers from Hastings and Langwarrin have received a prestigious honour following their heroic rescue of a man trapped under a ten-tonne roller last July.
The harrowing industrial accident occurred in Hastings where the worker had become unconscious, requiring crews to work under pressure to safely extract him after his legs were pinned under a massive roller.
He luckily survived and has since recovered and returned to work.
For their professionalism during the high-risk operation, the two brigades were awarded a Unit Citation for Service on 11 August.
Incident controller and Hastings fire brigade captain Mike Willmott and rescue officer in charge and Westernport deputy group officer Craig Aiton were acknowledged “for their meticulous planning, coordination and execution of the agreed approach under very stressful circumstances”.
Speaking of the rescue, Willmott said while he was relieved to see the patient Peter Munyan awake and speaking, emergency crews had to work against the clock to prevent the threat of crush syndrome.
“The scene was fairly confronting but knowing that two people were in dire need of help – we knew what we needed to do. We got the rescue team on their way, made room for their equipment and appointed our roles on scene,” he said.
“Fire Rescue Victoria arrived, and their expertise was just amazing, they were fantastic.”
It was also one of the largest emergency management teams Willmott said he had been involved in, with WorkSafe, Victoria Police, Ambulance Victoria also on scene, alongside a surgeon who was on standby to perform amputation.
Aiton said despite working in a confined environment “everyone just worked together so seamlessly to do what was needed to safely release him”.
“It was out of the ordinary for us, and was very technically challenging, requiring multiple pieces of equipment. It was the first time a CFA brigade has had to use one of our new 50 tonne jacks,” he said.
“Because of the damage that the roller had caused and the nature of what is operated out there, everything was covered in grease and the whole area was slippery.
“We also had the Hastings firefighters and the site’s emergency management team securing and monitoring the unstable building above us. It certainly was multifaceted.”
Willmott admitted he believed the man would never walk again so to see him walk through the station’s door using a walking frame earlier in March was emotional.
“I’m pleased to say Peter Munyan is in fantastic spirits. We were all gobsmacked to see him standing at the station with a smile on his face. It was absolutely brilliant,” he said.
Aiton said receiving the Unit Citation was an honour, emphasising that the recognition was not just for him as an individual but a reflection of the entire team’s effort.
“While we don’t do it for the thank yous, when it is an exceptional and extraordinary circumstance, recognition is a nice way to say well done for what you’ve done,” he said.
“It’s also for the people at the brigade who continuously do the training to improve themselves, in addition to their responsibility as a firefighter, so we get the best outcome for the patients.”
Others acknowledged for their leadership and actions were group officer David Breadmore and acting commander Blake Ross who received a Chief Officer’s Commendation.
First published in the Frankston Times – 19 August 2025