B.C. driver named Bridgestone/Firestone Truck Hero

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MISSION, B.C. – Vedder Transport driver, Phil Tarrant, has been named the Bridgestone/Firestone Canada Truck Hero of the Year following a daring rescue of an accident victim who was in danger of drowning.

The incident occurred in April, 2004 on Hwy. 7 near Mission, B.C. Tarrant – a 10-year veteran with Vedder – was driving between Maple Ridge and Mission on Apr. 26, 2004 when a car in front of him lost control and hit a utility pole, flipping upside down. The car came to rest in a water-filled ditch.

With the car’s occupant still trapped inside, Tarrant drove as close as he could to the partially-submerged car and then, with the help of another motorist, hooked the crane’s line to the car.

He then carefully maneuvered the crane over the power lines and lifted the car about four feet out of the water so the occupant could breathe. Using the crane, Tarrant held the vehicle in that position for about 20 minutes until emergency personnel and police arrived and extricated the victim.

Once the occupant was safely removed from the car, Tarrant then used the crane to lift the vehicle over the power lines, setting it safely on the roadside.

For his heroic efforts, Tarrant receives a trophy and a $5,000 cheque from Bridgestone/Firestone Canada. He is the 49th Canadian transport driver to win the award which has been in place since 1956.

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