The woman inside the house tried to unlock the door but collapsed in the black smoke. Mr Oldham couldn't break the door but managed to smash a window to get into the house.
He needed to make two attempts to find the woman but when he did he struggled to get her out of the house. Luckily a second officer, Constable Shane McCarthy, who is also based in Papamoa, arrived at the house and together they managed to rescue the elderly woman.
The two police officers have been labelled heroes and I definitely agree.
They are very deserving of the praise they have received.
I'm sure the outcome of this situation would have been so much worse had these men not come to the rescue.
Here in the Bay we have some amazing police officers who don't shy away from these difficult situations.
Last year Tauranga constable Deane O'Connor was in the media spotlight after stripping off and jumping into freezing water to save a man involved in a crash at the Maungatapu Bridge.
It was the most dramatic rescue of his 13-year police career. One of the men involved in the crash, Gregory Woledge, a 24-year-old electrician, did not survive but his colleague, Ashley Donkersley, managed to bend open the van door and swim to the surface. It was Mr Donkersley who was saved by Mr O'Connor.
I'm sure Mr O'Connor, Mr McCarthy and Mr Oldham are just three of many unsung heroes in the Bay, but they deserve every piece of recognition and praise given to them.
It is encouraging to know we live in a community where fearless people walk among us.
