The chopper pilot and police officer responsible for a remarkable rescue from raging floodwaters in Katherine earlier this year have been honoured with medals from the Northern Territory’s chief minister.
The rescue during the March flood was captured on camera, and the footage quickly spread around the country, with many praising the bravery and skill on display as the chopper gently rested a strut on the top of a teetering four-wheel drive.
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At the time, the pilot, John Armstrong, said while the rescue “looked spectacular”, it involved relatively simple flying compared with some aspects of helicopter mustering.
Mr Armstrong and Ben Parfitt, the police officer who pulled two people and a dog from the vehicle into the chopper, are among 29 “remarkable individuals” who will be recognised for their efforts during the Katherine flood as part of today’s Territory Day celebrations.
John Armstrong (left) guided the chopper down before flying the stranded people to safety. (ABC News: Olivana Lathouris)
Presented with his medal in Darwin this afternoon, Senior Constable Parfitt said he was “lucky to have been in the right place at the right time”.
“Every person in a blue uniform in the Northern Territory Police Force goes above and beyond … every day, a lot of it is not witnessed or acknowledged,” he said.
Senior Constable Parfitt said while he might be the one receiving an award, the “whole of emergency services” and the volunteers during the flood deserved recognition for their efforts.
Ben Parfitt says he’ll be out on the job again tonight, helping to ensure people stay safe on Cracker Night. (ABC News: Olivana Lathouris)
Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro said Senior Constable Parfitt had displayed “total selflessness and great courage” on that day.
“He stood above and beyond the call of duty. What he did was truly commendable,” she said.
The search-and-rescue specialist said his line of work was rewarding.
“It’s special to be able to help people, and especially to be able to save people’s lives.“
Lia Finocchiaro says Ben Parfitt went “beyond the call of duty” in saving two people and a dog from a car stranded in floodwaters. (ABC News: Pete Garnish)
Asked how he would be celebrating Cracker Night today, Senior Constable Parfitt said he would be working, patrolling on a police boat to keep people a safe distance away from a fireworks barge.
Mr Armstrong will receive his medal at a ceremony in Katherine later today.
Katherine community volunteers recognised
Katherine resident Trent de With, whose live social media updates from his bicycle were a vital source of information during the flood, was among those recognised at the Darwin awards ceremony.
Trent de With was a very active volunteer during and after the flooding in Katherine. (ABC News: James Elton)
He was also a major contributor to post-flood clean-ups in the town, including at the destroyed home of Dave Sherrie and his nearby electronics repair shop.
Local landscaper Ben Hockey, whose relentless sandbagging efforts during the flood earned him the moniker “Sandbag Ben”, will also receive a medal.
In late March, when he spoke with the ABC as floodwaters finally began to recede, Mr Hockey said the experience had been tiring but “life-changing”.
“It’s not every day you get to be in the middle of seeing a community come together with the volunteers, the Defence Force, the companies and organisations,” he said.
Ben Hockey played a big role in helping to distribute sandbags to businesses in Katherine during the flooding. (ABC News: James Elton)
Renae Daniel from Katherine Hospital was recognised for her “calm leadership” as patients had to be evacuated not once, but twice as floodwaters threatened to isolate the facility.
Others were being recognised for keeping locals fed throughout the disaster, when the town’s only supermarket closed for roughly 72 hours.
They included butcher Jason Scadden and Alison and Jake Vincent from the Katherine Club.
The Katherine flood inundated hundreds of buildings and caused millions of dollars in damage, with the Insurance Council of Australia confirming insured losses alone have exceeded $30 million.
Katherine tradies are working through a backlog of repair work, while some residents are still waiting for checks from health officials to be able to return to their homes.
Most of the medals will be handed out in Katherine at the Showgrounds this evening, as the town celebrates its 100th birthday.
