A Hillside father of two has been awarded a national bravery medal for his quick thinking as he helped to rescue a woman and baby from a dog attack.
Damian Hall was one of 30 people to be commended at an Australian Bravery Decorations awards ceremony at Government House last Friday.
Australian Bravery Decorations, under the Order of Australia, recognise acts of bravery by people who put themselves in harm’s way to protect the lives or property of others.
Mr Hall had been driving along Westwood Drive in Burnside on November 17, 2011 when he saw grandmother Connie Borg fighting off a pit bull terrier that was attacking her grandson, Daniel, inside his pram.
The then 37-year-old rushed into the fray and hit the dog with a large metal wrench several times before it began to attack him.
A passer-by pulled up in a ute to help and the woman and her child were able to climb inside while Mr Hall jumped on to the tray of the ute to get out of harm’s way.
A neighbour then came out of her house to help and the dog began to attack her. Mr Hall went to her aid and grabbed hold of the dog long enough for the woman to return to her house.
The dog was later caught and euthanised.
Mr Hall sustained two superficial bites to the back of his leg, while baby Daniel suffered bites and scratches to his face, ears and neck and Ms Borg had bites and scratches from trying to fight the dog off.
“There wasn’t a lot going through my mind – I just reacted,” Mr Hall said.
He said he felt humbled to receive the award.
“Everyone I know knows the H word, but ‘hero’ doesn’t sit too well with me,” he said. “To me, those people are in uniform.”
