Medal of Bravery
Awarded on: 2007-10-18
Invested on: 2008-09-19
Petty Officer 1st class Alain Baillargeon, M.B., C.D. (deceased)
Martin Baillargeon, M.B.
Marco Bédard, M.B.
Medal of Bravery
On December 27, 2006, during a hunting trip at reservoir Laforge, in James Bay, Quebec, these three men rescued their travelling companion twice from drowning after their snowmobiles broke through the ice. The late Petty Officer 1st class Alain Baillargeon was the first to get back onto the thin surface, and held onto the victim until Mr. Bédard arrived with a rope to help pull her to safety. Moments later, the woman found herself in the water again, this time with Mr. Bédard, when the snowmobile they were travelling on broke through the ice. Mr. Bédard crawled onto the ice on his own and held onto the woman until Martin Baillargeon arrived and assisted in pulling her out of the water. While Alain Baillargeon, Marco Bédard and the woman walked to the nearest shore to await rescue, Martin Baillargeon drove his snowmobile some 20 kilometres to get assistance, which arrived 90 minutes later.