By Belinda Nolan
IT’S not every day that you win an award for bravery, let alone on your first day at work.
But Elise Mor is the exception to the rule.
The Caroline Springs resident is one of nine firefighters who will receive bravery awards from the Federal Government after risking their lives to save a colleague.
Ms Mor, who is now based at the Spotswood Fire Station, was on shift at the Footscray Fire Station on the morning of 12 October 2007.
She was called to extinguish a small fire which had broken out at a Yarraville furniture factory.
Crews from the Spotswood and Newport stations also rushed to the scene.
“It was my first real fire,” Ms Mor told Star.
“I’d only seen little fires like small car fires and fires in rubbish bins and I was itching to go to a big job.”
But what ensued wasn’t what the rookie firefighter had in mind.
What looked like a small fire quickly got out of hand as chemicals inside the building reacted, causing a toxic explosion.
The result was a flash fire of such magnitude firefighters were forced to flee the building for their own safety.
As fire engulfed the building one firefighter was trapped inside. Risking their own safety, Ms Mor and other crew members pulled the man from the burning building and administered first aid until help arrived.
Despite her bravery, Ms Mor said she did not consider herself to be a hero.
“I was new. I was just doing what I was told. I had a job to do and I did it.”
“But it certainly wasn’t what I was expecting to happen at my first fire.”
Ms Mor and her colleague Graham Peacock will receive a group bravery citation from the Governor General.
