Medal of Bravery

• Awarded on: October 15, 1998
• Invested on: May 10, 1999

On September 1, 1997, Roger Renaud rescued a woman trapped in a burning vehicle in St-Marc-sur-Richelieu, Quebec. Mr. Renaud was driving down the road when he saw a car hit a truck head on; the truck then crashed into an electric pole and caught fire. Mr. Renaud and other witnesses rushed to the scene to help, and together they tried in vain to put the flames out with extinguishers. Mr. Renaud then leaned inside the vehicle and tried with his hands to extinguish the flames that were burning one of the driver's legs. As the fire spread on the victim's clothes, he managed to free her foot, which was pinned under the dashboard. The woman was then able to slide out of the wreck just as Mr. Renaud was forced to retreat when the vehicle burst into flames.