Medal of Bravery

• Awarded on: February 25, 2010
• Invested on: May 06, 2011

John Peter Chatterton, M.B.
Medal of Bravery

On February 12, 2007, Lieutenant John Chatterton, an Ottawa firefighter, risked his life to ensure that his fellow firefighters escaped a burning three-story building. As they completed the search for possible victims, Lieut. Chatterton and his two colleagues made their way back down from the third floor. They found their exit route blocked by thick, black smoke and extreme heat, leaving them no choice but to return to the third floor to find an alternate escape route. Lieut. Chatterton informed his crew that the only way out was to jump from the window. He lay on the floor and guided his crew to jump first, while the paint on his helmet blistered from the heat and his radio melted. Lieut. Chatterton then jumped to the ground below. He suffered second-degree burns and multiple fractures.