On 15 June 1980, in the early hours of the morning, James Arthur Catto was alerted by his son to the fact that flames were coming out of the rear bedroom window of a woman's house in Mississauga, Ontario. He hurried over through the back yard. Hearing her grasping for breath inside the burning house, Mr. Catto risked his life in the attempt to enter on hands and knees. He managed to drag the victim out through heavy smoke for a distance of some fifteen metres. Once she was safely out-of-doors, he applied artificial respiration until the arrival of the fire brigade. Had it not been his courageous action the victim would have perished.