Medal of Bravery

• Awarded on: December 18, 1996
• Invested on: June 16, 1997

Maurice Sheehan, M.B.
Ian Richard (Rick) Tinker, M.B.
Medal of Bravery

On December 1, 1995, Maurice Sheehan and Rick Tinker rescued a mother and her two sons from a burning carport in Coquitlam, British Columbia. The woman and her children had fled their smoke-filled house but smoke and flames shooting from the basement windows blocked their only escape from the carport. Hearing the screams of the injured victims, Messrs. Sheehan and Tinker raced to their help from across the street. When they realized that the woman and her sons were trapped, both men ran through the wall of fire to rescue them. Mr. Sheehan dragged the woman out through the flames while Mr. Tinker shielded the boys with his own body and carried them a safe distance away. The rescuers were treated for severe burns.