A Perthshire firefighter who rescued eight people from a building while off-duty has been awarded for his bravery.
Ryan Witkowski from Scone received a Brave@Heart award and the St Andrews Award Medal at a ceremony on Tuesday at Edinburgh Castle.
Ryan, who is part of the White Watch at Perth Community Fire Station, was returning home from an event with his family last June when he noticed smoke billowing from a tenement block.
He went to investigate and came across a well-developed blaze on the top floor of a three-storey building.
The firefighter alerted the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and four appliances were sent to the scene.
He quickly began to evacuate the building and led eight people to safety ensuring that nobody was injured or trapped.
He remained on scene until the first appliance arrived.
After receiving the award, Ryan said: “It just felt normal to respond because of my role as a firefighter, but it was difficult for my family who were there with me at the time of the incident.
Scone fireman commended for bravery
“It was an honour to receive both awards at the ceremony, and was even more special as it was my first time in Edinburgh Castle.”
The awards recognise acts of heroism across Scotland, with nominations made by the emergency services.
Winners are selected by an independent panel.
First Minister Humza Yousaf was among those in attendance at the ceremony.
On Ryan getting the award, SFRS’ chief officer Ross Haggart said: “It’s without doubt that Ryan’s decisive actions on the night, whilst off duty, led to the successful rescue of eight people from the affected flat block.
“His courage and selflessness in helping others has been rightly recognised.”
PC George Taylor, who was killed in 1976 by an escaped prisoner who had been in jail for a shooting at a Dundee school, was also honoured at the event.
