Off-duty hero cop fighting for compensation after trying to save man’s life while on holiday

A heroic off-duty policeman who valiantly tried to save a man’s life while on holiday, injuring himself in the process, is now facing a compensation fight with his employer. FULL STORY >>

A HEROIC off-duty Tasmania Police officer who tried to save a man’s life while on holiday – administering CPR and mouth-to-mouth at the Chain of Lagoons camping grounds – seriously injured his shoulder in the process.

But the policeman’s employer – Tasmania’s state Department of Police, Fire and Emergency Management – is fighting against paying him workers’ compensation for his injuries because they didn’t occur “ in the course of his employment”.

Tragically, the man died despite the Senior Constable’s efforts over some 45 minutes.

In her newly-published decision, Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal senior member Lucinda Jack said the policeman was holidaying on the East Coast during January 2020 with his family when a woman came to their campsite and asked if anyone knew first aid.

She informed them a man had collapsed in a nearby camper bus and hit his head.

The policeman walked to the bus, showing his badge to people outside who were “stressed and panicking”, saying “it’s alright, I’m a police officer”.

He asked a man outside the bus to go to a location where he could get phone coverage, and to call an ambulance.

Chain of Lagoons on the Tasmanian East Coast.

Inside the bus, a man was performing CPR – receiving instructions from a woman on the phone.

“The unconscious man … was pale in colour and non-responsive,” the policeman said in his claim.

“I now understand … that he likely had a heart attack and struck his head when he fell. There was a small amount of blood on the floor of the bus near the side door.”

The policeman took over CPR and gave two lots of breath.

“To provide more space to provide CPR, I instructed that we remove the deceased from the van. I held the deceased under his armpits and dragged him and, while pulling the deceased, I felt a sharp pain down the length of my shoulder,” he said.

“Notwithstanding that my shoulder was in pain, I continued CPR on the male for another 10 minutes before someone was available to take over.

“I remained at the scene until I was relieved by on-duty Tasmania Police officers.”

The police officer also helped move the man into an ambulance when it arrived.

Senior member Jack said the department had made a “reasonably arguable case” that the policeman “did not suffer an injury in compensable circumstances”.

The matter will go to a final hearing at a future date.

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