Sergeant Joseph André Hotton

  • Kingston, Nova Scotia

Decorations for Bravery

  • Medal of Bravery

    • Awarded on: October 23, 2003
    • Invested on: June 25, 2004

    Master Corporal Joseph Carl Steeve Bédard, M.B., C.D.
    Sergeant Joseph André Hotton, M.B., C.D.
    Medal of Bravery

    On September 30, 2002, Search and Rescue technicians MCpl Steeve Bédard and Sgt André Hotton rescued a severely injured man following a helicopter crash in a rugged and mountainous area near Natashquan, Quebec. During the last moments of daylight, the rescue team of a Hercules aircraft located the helicopter on a steep embankment in a deep river valley. Without concern for their own safety, Sgt Hotton and MCpl Bédard parachuted into the heavily forested crash site. Using improvisational means, they managed to free the sole survivor trapped in the crushed wreckage. In the cold and dark, they cared for the suffering man until a rescue helicopter arrived to airlift them to safety, some seven hours later.

  • Medal of Bravery

    • Awarded on: April 22, 2010
    • Invested on: May 06, 2011

    Master Corporal Julien Gauthier, M.B.
    Sergeant Joseph André Hotton, M.B.*, C.D.
    Medal of Bravery

    On November 19, 2008, military search and rescue technicians Sergeant André Hotton and Master Corporal Julien Gauthier rescued three people from a sinking barge, off the coast of Nova Scotia. Responding to a distress call stating that the barge was in trouble in heavy seas, a military helicopter was sent to the site to evacuate the people on board. After several failed rescue attempts, Sergeant Hotton was lowered a distance away from the vessel, where he signalled for one victim to swim out to him so that he could be hoisted up to the aircraft. Although advised by the air base that the rescue operation should cease because of low fuel and approaching darkness, the pilot and crew opted to continue with the rescue. Sergeant Hotton was again lowered and was hoisted up with one more victim. Master Corporal Gauthier was then lowered down and completed the rescue of the last victim. The entire rescue operation took approximately one hour to complete, and the barge capsized shortly afterwards.

    * This is the second decoration for bravery awarded to Sergeant Hotton.