Hero Staffordshire Police officer PC Dominic Gallimore has attended a Downing Street reception as part of his nomination for the National Police Bravery Awards.
The courageous PC met Policing Minister Nick Hurd at the event and attended the awards ceremony in central London later that evening.
PC Gallimore said: “It was a wonderful day and I was very proud to be representing all my colleagues from the Staffordshire force at the awards.”
PC Gallimore was nominated for an award for rescuing a family from a blazing house fire.
Thick black smoke was pouring out of the property when he arrived on the scene and a neighbour told him that the family were still inside the house.
PC Gallimore manged to break down the door of the house, which was full of choking black smoke.
With visibility almost zero, PC Gallimore shouted up the stairs to alert the sleeping family to the extreme danger they were in.
The father was the first to make it down the stairs and he was helped to safety before PC Gallimore managed to help the mother and two children out of the house.
It was clear that due to the thick asphyxiating smoke, the family were probably only around five minutes away from suffering potentially life-threatening injuries.
PC Gallimore’s bravery had saved their lives.
Staffordshire Police Federation Chairman Keith Jervis praised PC Gallimore for his quick thinking.
"There wasn't much time to ascertain what was happening," he said.
"The family had to be gotten out of that house and PC Gallimore's actions certainly saved their lives.
“We are very proud of him and what he did that day.”
Overall winners at the 2018 Police Bravery Awards were Metropolitan PCs Charlie Guenigault, who received horrific injuries after being attacked by terrorists at London Bridge, and PC Keith Palmer who was posthumously awarded after he was tragically killed during last year’s terror attack on Westminster Bridge.
