Medal of Bravery

• Awarded on: June 27, 2001
• Invested on: December 06, 2001

Dale Brady, M.B.
Master-Corporal Wayde Lee Simpson, M.B., C.D.
Medal of Bravery

On July 23, 2000, civilian Dale Brady and MCpl Wayde Simpson rescued a commercial pilot and two passengers whose plane had crashed on a mountainside near Valemount, British Columbia. With daylight fading and a military helicopter unavailable for hours, Mr. Brady agreed to pilot his Bell 206 Jet Ranger to the crash site, with MCpl Simpson and another Search and Rescue technician on board. Once he reached the foggy area, Mr. Brady hovered precariously above the tall dense trees while MCpl Simpson rappelled to the rough terrain below. Informed that the victims were not near the wreck, Mr. Brady flew at tree top altitude until he spotted their flashlight signals at a river, more than one kilometre away. After lowering the other SAR Tech by rope near the victims, Mr. Brady went back for MCpl Simpson who was unable to hike down the steep and slippery terrain. MCpl Simpson grabbed hold of the rope and dangled below the craft despite strong wind gusts which rocked him like a pendulum and risked destabilizing the helicopter. Once at the river, Mr. Brady lowered MCpl Simpson to the ground where he joined his colleague in caring for the severely-injured victims until the next day, when a Labrador helicopter was able to lift them out.