A total of 14 worthy individuals were honored Wednesday afternoon at the Chapel Gallery in a ceremony hosted by St. John Ambulance.
The occasion was their annual Life-Saving Awards, providing an opportunity for the organization and the community to honor individuals who perform first aid or CPR during emergency situations.
Three recipients received the provincial-level Certificate of Commendation, awarded to recognize many different efforts during an emergency that assist a casualty to a lesser degree, with or without the application of first aid. The Silver Life-Saving Award is a national award presented to individuals who saved or attempted to save a life through the application of first aid knowledge and skills where no risk to their own life exists. The Gold Life-Saving Award is also a national award, awarded to individuals in situations where a degree of risk to their lives existed.
The highest level of recognition is from the international St. John Ambulance headquarters in the United Kingdom. The Life-Saving Medal of the Order of St. John is awarded in gold, silver or bronze to those who, in a conspicuous act of gallantry, endangered their lives while saving or attempting to save a life.
RCMP Cst. Peter David Chandler and Jeremy Dwight Brown were honored for their efforts when a car was found submerged in water July 19, 2012.
Chandler, a police officer with Battlefords Rural Detachment, was flagged down by a motorist who advised that a Ford Mustang was submerged in water. He ran down the embankment through waist-high bushes and met the driver who indicated the passenger was still inside the car.
He waded into seven-to-nine-foot high water to try to save the victim. The situation was described as extremely dangerous as Chandler could have easily been swept up by the debris.
He located an open window with his foot and swam six feet under the water and pulled hard on the passenger. He instructed the bystander to call 911 and repeatedly swam under the water to try to free him.
Chandler requested a knife from Jeremy Brown, who tossed the knife that Chandler then used to try to cut through the seat belt that held the victim. Chandler swam down multiple times and sustained cuts to his own hand in his attempt to free the victim, cuts that required stitches.
The victim was freed and brought to the surface and Chandler swam with the victim and dragged him out of the water. Brown assisted with pulling the passenger out of the water and then both performed CPR.
Both Chandler and Brown were exhausted when they were relieved by other emergency crews, who arrived on the scene to continue life-saving efforts. Unfortunately, those were not successful.
For his efforts at the scene Brown received the Silver Life-Saving Award. Chandler's efforts, however, were recognized for exceeding expectations facing any person in these circumstances, and for displaying courage beyond the call of duty by putting his own life at risk to save another. He was awarded with the St. John Ambulance Gold Life-Saving Award.
Chandler will also be presented the Silver Life-Saving Medal from the worldwide St. John Ambulance organization. That will be presented in June of next year in Ottawa by the Governor General.
RCMP Constables Aaron Dutchak and Steve Bell received the St. John Ambulance Silver Life-Saving Award for their efforts in coming to the aid of an elderly individual who was in medical distress in the parking lot of Burger King in North Battleford.
The man was in cardiac arrest and both performed CPR until the ambulance arrived. The patient was taken to hospital and the constables were informed the next day the individual was in ICU in stable condition.
The efforts of Chandler, Dutchak and Bell will also be recognized by the RCMP at a future ceremony.
Blaine Winterhalt and Gregg Sheppard were honored with St. John Ambulance Silver Life-Saving Awards for coming to the assistance of a man who went into cardiac arrest while they were unloading bales on a field on Nov. 3, 2012.
Winterhalt called 911 and both he and Sheppard performed CPR until the victim was transported to hospital. The casualty eventually made a full recovery.
Sheppard was not in attendance, but Winterhalt accepted the award on his behalf, in addition to receiving his own silver medal.
Four individuals received St. John Ambulance Silver Life-Awards Awards for their efforts, which unfortunately were unsuccessful, in coming to the aid of a man who had gone into cardiac arrest at the 18th hole of North Battleford Golf and Country Club May 9.
Receiving Silver Life-Saving Awards were Herbert Weinmeyer, Pat Gotto, Kenneth Richardson and Robert Krismer for their efforts until EMS arrived to transport the victim to hospital.
Also receiving a provincial Certificate of Commendation for his efforts that day was Dana Johnson of North Battleford Golf and Country Club.
Weinmeyer, Gotto and Johnson all received their awards at the ceremony. Krismer was unable to attend, but has already been presented with his award. Richardson was also unable to be there and his award was accepted by his wife, Cathy.
Two boys from the Pierceland area, Brett Gonie and Brock Johnson, received Certificates of Commendation for coming to the aid of a casualty who was attacked by a dog while they were out hunting gophers.
The incident resulted in serious injuries to the victim's face. Brett raced home to get help and Brock was able to get the casualty back to the house on a quad. The casualty was taken to the hospital and it was noted that, had the victim not made it to the hospital as quickly as he did, he would not have survived.
The long-term volunteer efforts of Alyssa Sutton have earned her a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, which was recognized at the ceremony.
Sutton is a therapy-dog volunteer from Saskatoon, who was described by director of community services Josh Haugerud as having a passion for volunteerism and for giving back to the community. In the short time she was involved in St. John Ambulance, she earned child and adult certification allowing her and her dog Priscilla to work with all age groups.
Haugerud also noted Sutton takes her dog for visits at Preston Park Care Home in Saskatoon and also at Ronald McDonald House, as well as at St. John Ambulance events.
