Cranbourne resident Tenaia Salesulu has been acknowledged with a Commendation for Brave Conduct under this year’s Australian Bravery Decorations on 26 March.
She is commended for brave conduct for her actions rescuing a family from a house fire in Cranbourne on 12 October 2020.
At 9.30am, she was at a park when she heard a smoke alarm and saw smoke billowing from a nearby house.
She ran to the house, gained entry, and was confronted with thick smoke.
She located a baby in one bedroom, and then a toddler in another, and took both outside to safety.
She re-entered the house and located a woman in another room and took her outside.
Ms Salesulu returned to the park. Emergency services arrived shortly afterwards and extinguished the fire.
The Governor-General announced 50 Australian Bravery Decorations to recognise the courageous acts of 89 people and congratulated all the recipients.
“Confronted with danger, each chose to help someone. Their bravery is commendable, and their selflessness is inspirational,” he said.
“In a moment of peril, each of the people we are recognising today decided to come to the aid of someone else – some, someone they knew, others a total stranger.
“Often their actions were at a cost to themselves. Tragically, two recipients lost their own lives.”
