Hero teenager nominated for bravery award by Manilla RFS after saving 2-year-old brother from housefire

Michael Hirst, just 15 years old, rushed to save his 2-year-old brother Elijah from an intense housefire, that quickly destroyed their home in Upper Manilla.

Manilla RFS Captain Clark Costello was there that day.

After a long conversation with the teenager, he approached Tamworth MP Kevin Anderson to put Michael's name forward for a bravery award the next day.

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In nearly two decades of service as a firefighter it's the first time he's ever nominated someone for an award.

Captain Clark described Michael's actions as "pretty special" and was taken aback at how humble the teenager was.

"Even in the conversation I had with him, the way he was explaining it, it was moving," he said.

"To see the result, to see the damage firstly and then to see the result of him, with his siblings and mum and dad at the property after we'd extinguished the fire, or while we were extinguishing it, it was just humbling.

"He obviously didn't hesitate where a lot of other people, their first thing would be get myself out."

Michael suffered minor burns rushing his 2-year-old brother to safety, returning to the house to attempt to extinguish the fire, then freeing the family dogs. He ran a kilometre, barefoot, to a neighbour's house to raise the alarm.

The teenager has never received any training in firefighting, he said.

His bravery nomination hit the desk of Emergency Services Minister David Elliott this week.

Dad, Josh Hirst, called him a "hero" - but it's a title modest Michael rejects, except as fuel for his sense of humour.

"It's got to me head a little," the teenager joked.

He sometimes refuses to do chores saying 'I don't want to do this, I'm a hero'.

"I don't reckon I'm a hero, I just did what should have been done," he said.

"I wouldn't consider it brave really."

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Mum, Katie, who is a nurse at the hospital, said they are yet to figure out their future, with insurance assessment held up by COVID-19.

The family was relatively new to Manilla, only moving there three years earlier.

It didn't matter. Within a day, the town had rallied behind them, piling up donations at Hart Rural and other businesses to help them get through the tough time.

Most of the aid came from people they didn't even know, Katie said.

They are currently living in the home of a friend, another huge act of charity from the small town.

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