But for Ringwood Senior Constable Matthew Henry and Mooroolbark Sergeant Lee Nichols, the vivid memories of the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires will forever be embedded in their minds.

Last Friday the courageous policemen were awarded with silver medals from the Royal Humane Society of Australasia.

The police officers received a call-out to rescue Carolyn Kelmar at 6pm on February 7. As they drove along Steels Creek Road thick, black smoke surrounded the car and heat radiated through the windows making the windows too hot to touch.

A CFA crew told the officers the road was impassable and that the woman had probably died.

"We couldn't just dismiss her life on whim," Senior Constable Henry said. "The crew hadn't been to the site - they just made an assumption, so we kept driving."

When they arrived at the property they saw Ms Kelmar was sitting in her car drenched in sweat, dehydrated and suffering severe shock.

Ms Kelmar said the men displayed tremendous courage. "I just remember seeing these two bright lights," she said. "It was the lights from the hats on their heads. I could hear the sound of squirting hoses and I crawled out from the blanket I was hiding under in the car."

Senior Constable Henry checked the house and surrounding trees and hosed spot fires near the house while Sergeant Nicols took Ms Kelmar inside to collect some of her sentimental items before they drove her to safety in Yarra Glen.

Modest heroes, they are both quick to dismiss any title of bravery. "Anyone would have done the same," Senior Constable Henry said. "I try to keep a low profile - I don't really like the attention all that much."

Sergeant Nicolls said he wished that others could have been saved. "It's nice to be recognised but we can't forget how many people were lost that day."

Senior Constable Bernice Canty and Sergeant Peter Williams of the Croydon police were also awarded a bronze medals for saving a family in Dixons Creek.