Medal of Bravery
Awarded on: 1983-05-13
Invested on: 1983-09-09
Eugene Arthur Baker, M.B.
Constable Gary Clifford Broste, M.B.
Medal of Bravery
On 28 October 1981, Eugene Baker and Cst. Gary Broste of the Saskatoon Police Department combined efforts to rescue a woman from a determined suicide attempt in the South Saskatchewan River. While attempting to dissuade the depressed woman from carrying out her threat, Mr. Baker flagged down Cst. Broste's patrol car. The two were unable to prevent her jumping off the bridge and the current quickly swept her downstream. They ran down the bank of the river and Mr. Baker at once plunged into the freezing waters. He swam twenty metres, reached the victim and began to push her toward shore, but half-way his strength gave out. Cst. Broste broke through the thin ice on the edge of the river, swan out to Mr. Baker, by now exhausted, and pulled him near the shore. The policeman than went back to assist the unfortunate woman and seized her as she was drifting toward the weir. She was taken to hospital.