A first responder in Thunder Bay has been awarded the Ontario Medal for Paramedic Bravery after springing into action at a collision scene while off duty.
The medal is awarded to paramedics who display bravery and have demonstrated great courage, risking their lives to save others.
Chantal Olson, a primary care paramedic with Superior North EMS was driving home when she came across a head-on collision involving two trucks.
Both drivers were trapped in their vehicles, and Olson was the first person on the scene.
She attempted to remove the first driver from his vehicle as it caught fire.
An off-duty Thunder Bay police officer then arrived on the scene and pulled Olson away from the vehicle as it began to explode.
She then attended to the other driver and provided care for the patient on the 45-minute ride to the nearest hospital.
An award ceremony was held on Monday to present Olson and six others the medal.
Ontario is home to world-class paramedics who put their lives at risk every day in service of their communities,” said Minister Sylvia Jones. “These brave heroes represent the very best of Ontario and I am deeply honoured to recognize this year’s recipients of the Ontario Medal for Paramedic Bravery.”
Nominations for the award are made through the nominee’s paramedic service and endorsed by their paramedic chief.
