Star of Courage

• Awarded on: July 15, 1985
• Invested on: March 21, 1986

R.C.M.P. Constable Walter Alexander Burns, S.C.
R.C.M.P. Constable John Christopher Kennedy, S.C.
R.C.M.P. Constable Andrew William Lamb, S.C.
R.C.M.P. Constable John Richard McDougall, S.C.
R.C.M.P. Constable David Gerald Otterman, S.C.
Star of Courage

At 3:45 a.m. on 20 October 1984, the Burnaby British Columbia Detachment was informed of a house fire. Within minutes, Csts. Burns and Otterman arrived. They learned from upstairs residents that the burning basement apartment was occupied, so went to the back and broke a window, getting no response from those inside. Joined by Cst. Burns, Otterman broke down the door and entered on hands and knees, but they were quickly driven back by intense heat and thick smoke. With Burns as back-up, Lamb and Otterman entered, finding an unconscious man in the living-room. As they dragged him toward the door, Cst. Lamb was forced to leave, almost overcome by the smoke, Cst. Burns entered and he and Cst. Otterman managed to bring the victim out as Csts. Kennedy and McDougall arrived to assist. Csts. Kennedy, McDougall and Otterman then crawled into the apartment to continue the search, finding another victim in a bedroom. As they dragged her toward the exit, all three, choking and with eyes burning, were forced outside for fresh air. Cst. Kennedy re-entered, found the victim and dragged her out. As the rescue progressed, all five experienced increasingly severe effects of smoke inhalation, yet persisted in the face of obvious peril until both victims were safe.