Star of Courage

• Awarded on: April 29, 1985
• Invested on: December 06, 1985

Twenty-five-year-old Fernand Ouellette rescued a man and a woman moments before flames destroyed their frame house in the early hours of 22 March 1984. Mr. Ouellette awakened to cries that his neighbour`s house was on fire. He entered through the back porch, found the woman unconscious near the door and carried her out in his arms. Knowing that her brother was also trapped inside, he smashed a window and re-entered, despite the warnings of onlookers gathered at the scene. Relying on the sound of the man gasping for breath, Mr. Ouellette made his way through dense smoke a second time. He succeeded in dragging him near the exit but had to abandon his efforts, nearly overcome by the fumes. Other hands carried the victim outside. Mr. Ouellette then applied artificial respiration until emergency personnel arrived. He sustained second-degree burns to his hands.