School rallies for teacher

By Melissa Grant
KOOWEERUP’S Secondary School community is rallying around a former teacher who was badly injured in last week’s Bunyip Ridge inferno.
Bob Sproul was flown to The Alfred hospital on Black Saturday after a brush with death at his Drouin West home.
Neighbours called for help after finding Mr Sproul sprawled on the ground at his Fisher’s Road property.
Acting Sergeant Stuart Halligan of Pakenham police, who was in Mr Sproul’s PE class many years ago, was working when the incident unfolded.
“I was sitting at ICC (Incident Control Centre in Pakenham). I called the air ambulance,” he said.
“It was an absolute tragedy, he’s lucky to be alive.”
Act Sgt Halligan said he was taken to The Alfred burns unit, where he was released last Thursday. He suffered burns and smoke inhalation.
Kooweerup Secondary College assistant-principal Peter Bottomley said the school would focus on Mr Sproul when fundraising for bushfire victims in the coming weeks.
“As a college we’re delighted he survived what was a traumatic experience for him, we understand he could’ve easily lost his life,” he said.
“He lost his car, his dog, his house.”
Mr Sproul taught PE and maths at Kooweerup Secondary College for 17 years. He is still involved with the school, supervising exams each year. “The school community wants to get behind Bob and offer support, whatever that may be,” Mr Bottomley said.