A country cop took protecting his community to the next level when he rescued three people from floodwaters at Bingleburra near Dungog last week.
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"My thoughts were: 'I've got a job to do and this is what we're doing'," Senior Constable Richard Hansen said.
The Port Stephens-Hunter Police District officer, who is based at East Gresford, was on solo duty and just minutes away when he got the call to head to the Lyons Road causeway at Bingleburra about 9.30am on Thursday, September 22, where a four-wheel drive had been swept into fast-flowing water.
"I had a number of scenarios going through my head and the one that presented itself wasn't the one that was in my head, when I saw the lady that was clinging to the car," the Senior Constable said.
Senior Constable Hansen arrived to find the car submerged in the causeway, about five metres from dry land.
He wasted no time wading into floodwaters to get to the 51-year-old woman clinging to the car.
Using a rope as a safety line, he entered the floodwater and made his way to the vehicle but once he got close enough, she alerted him that there was a four year-old boy in the car.
![East Gresford-based Senior Constable Richard Hansen wasted no time wading into floodwaters to save three people on Thursday, September 22, in a solo rescue operation. Picture by Alanna Tomazin East Gresford-based Senior Constable Richard Hansen wasted no time wading into floodwaters to save three people on Thursday, September 22, in a solo rescue operation. Picture by Alanna Tomazin](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/zvsqbJ42zsM4GchEBbA5zn/ba7d5456-123a-4569-a6c6-617600149340.jpg/r582_367_4032_2804_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
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The senior constable pulled the boy through the window of the 4WD and delivered him safely to land.
"My attention was focused on that and thankfully I extricated him from the vehicle without any problems," he said.
Senior Constable Hansen then went back into the water to collect the 51-year-old woman, whose foot had become trapped by a rock, and the other 44 year-old woman to safety.
"The 44 year-old lady had a pre-existing injury so she wasn't as agile and unable to get through the rear window so that's when I set up a stabilisation line," he said.
He connected a winch to his police car to the 4WD to stabilise the submerged car.
The senior constable entered the flooded causeway for a third time to help the woman out of the 4WD.
"It's a stressful situation but I was lucky they made the job a lot easier, because they remained calm throughout the whole scenario," he said.
The two women and boy were were treated at the scene by NSW Ambulance paramedics for shock.
In his almost 20 years with the NSW Police Force, Senior Constable Hansen said the rescue operation was his "most unique" experience to date.
He's involved with Newcastle Police Rescue and has spent time helping floodwater victims in Lismore, Port Macquarie and Kempsey, but often in teams of two or three.
"There were no other emergency services on scene - it was just me. The nearest service would've been about 20 minutes away and there was just no time to waste," Senior Constable Hansen said.
"I turned up relatively quick and had to effect the rescue by myself. You just can't sort of standby, watch and see the fear in people, so I acted on that."
![Image shows the submerged 4WD that Senior Constable Hansen rescued three people from on Thursday, September 22. Image shows the submerged 4WD that Senior Constable Hansen rescued three people from on Thursday, September 22.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/pHZcEtCHpLnAajcu3Rdcpx/bff029b7-0f92-431a-9ee9-060c446ea6da.jpg/r0_0_2700_1800_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
He said there was no time for nerves and he broke down his operation into smaller sections, to avoid becoming overwhelmed.
"I didn't know how stable the car was, what was underneath the car or if it was going to get swept up," he said.
"All these factors you have in the back of your mind, but you hope for the best. I guess once you start, you can't let the nerves get to you because that's when you start to make mistakes."
Fortunately it was a positive outcome for all and Senior Constable Hansen said he was feeling appreciative of the gratitude he'd been receiving from the community.
"After the last 24 hours [following the rescue] it's been a whirlwind, and the praise that I have received has been amazing," he said.
A statement from the NSW Police Force said that the Port Stephens-Hunter Police command is now looking at recommending Senior Constable Hansen to be recognised for his rescue efforts and bravery.
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