Medal of Bravery

• Awarded on: October 25, 2001
• Invested on: June 28, 2002

Constable Dustin James Dewar, M.B.
Senior Constable Wayne A. Smith, M.B.
Medal of Bravery

Shortly before midnight on January 25, 2001, Dustin Dewar and Wayne Smith risked their lives to rescue a man from a burning house on the Mattagami First Nation Reserve, near Gogama, Ontario. The Ontario Provincial Police officers were on patrol when they saw flames at the back of the man's house. They kicked the front door open and ran through a wall of thick smoke but were forced back outside twice by the intense heat and choking fumes. Although the flames had spread across the ceiling, they made their way back in and continued their search, groping around with the help of a flashlight. They located the intoxicated man lying unconscious on the living room couch and dragged him outside. Exhausted and gasping for air, the rescuers then went back to search for other victims mistakenly believed to be in the house.