Medal of Bravery

• Awarded on: June 25, 1998
• Invested on: May 10, 1999

Firefighter Éric D'Aragon, M.B.
Firefighter Lieutenant Patrick Thériault, M.B.
Medal of Bravery

During the early hours of January 24, 1997, Éric D'Aragon and Lt. Patrick Thériault rescued a man whose vehicle had broken through the ice while crossing the Ottawa River, at Pincourt, Quebec. Facing an extremely urgent situation, the volunteer firefighters raced toward the victim, without stopping to pick up their regulation ropes and lights. After making their way across 150 metres of thin ice, they reached the hole at the moment the exhausted man began to sink from sight. Lt. Thériault reached underwater and grabbed the victim by the collar, managing to hang onto him despite the strong current. Mr. D'Aragon then helped him drag the man out of the hole, secure him to a rescue board and haul him to safety. The body of another passenger was found later, about 50 kilometres downstream from the accident scene.