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A German paramedic has been recognised in his home town for his off-duty treatment of a New Zealand policeman.
In November, Hermann Kraus was holidaying in the South Island with his Brazilian partner when he came upon a serious motorcycle crash 6km north of Punakaiki on the West Coast.
Senior Constable Grant Freeman had been badly hurt in a collision with a falling tree, and needed urgent medical attention.
The trained paramedic's quick thinking and attention were vital to the survival of the constable, who was airlifted to Greymouth Hospital once Mr Kraus had treated and bandaged a major laceration on his leg.
Mr Freeman told the Herald Mr Kraus had been given a "Golden Needle", a German civic award recognising professionalism in emergency services.
"[Hermann] was a bit embarrassed about the award, as there were 350 politicians and dignitaries at the prizegiving. He is a modest guy.
"It was a huge relief when I was lying on the ground after the accident and this guy leans over me and says: 'Don't worry, I'm a paramedic.' All I could think of at the time was my family and that I might die. I was bleeding a lot. I often think of the chanciness of this paramedic turning up five minutes after the crash."
Mr Freeman was travelling in a group of four police motorcycles when a landslip pushed a large tree on to the road just ahead. The collision catapulted him 10 metres, and snapped the handlebars. An aluminium strut from the steering column impaled his thigh, leaving permanent nerve damage.
