Judge commends paramedic

Mark Salt a West Midlands Ambulance Service paramedic has been awarded with a bravery commendation for his heroic actions during an incident whilst he was
on duty last year. In fact, Paramedic,
Mark Salt, was one of only four people
who received a bravery commendation at the annual awards ceremony held by Stoke Combined Court in Hanley in Stoke on Trent last month.

Whilst carrying out his daily duties in the early hours of 27th February 2009, Mark and his crew mate found themselves amidst a crime scene. The ambulance crew had been conveying an unwell child and her parents to hospital following a 999 call, when the vehicle they were travelling in became involved in a road traffic collision. Unknown to the ambulance crew at the time of the impact, the car had been stolen. It quickly became apparent to Mark that the incident was suspicious when he saw the three men that had been travelling in the car flee the scene.

Mark chased after one of the men and managed to apprehend him and hold him until the police arrived; actions which have been described as instrumental in the men's conviction.

Talking about the incident Mark said: "The
car hit us head-on, travelling with no lights, in the middle of the night, thankfully no further injury was caused to our patient."

The Judge noted that Mark's courageous actions, even though injured himself, lead to the arrest of two individuals at the scene and was presented with his certificate of commendation by the High Sheriff of Staffordshire, Dick Haszard.