Medal of Bravery

• Awarded on: October 25, 2001
• Invested on: June 28, 2002

Constable Kevin James McCarthy, M.B.
Sergeant David John Shaw, M.B.
Medal of Bravery

During the night of August 27, 2000, Kevin McCarthy and David Shaw of the Waterloo Regional Police rescued a five-year-old boy from a burning house in Cambridge, Ontario. The officers were on patrol when they noticed that the back of the house was ablaze. Informed by the frantic parents that one of their children was missing, they raced inside, calling to the crying boy. After instructing his partner to remain halfway up the stairs, Sgt. Shaw disappeared into the wall-to-ceiling smoke of the second floor. Guided by the barks of the family dog at the boy's door, he felt his way until he located the young victim, sitting on his bed. With aching lungs, he held the boy over his shoulder and began his retreat. Disoriented, Sgt. Shaw followed Cst. McCarthy's encouraging voice but collapsed on the first landing. Undeterred by the extreme heat and smoke, Cst. McCarthy made his way to his partner and pulled him and the child out of the inferno.