RCAF Chief Warrant Officer receives medal of bravery

News Article / June 19, 2013

By Holly Bridges

Chief Warrant Officer Tom Walker, a Royal Canadian Air Force traffic technician, received a medal of bravery from Governor General David Johnston at a ceremony at Rideau Hall on June 7. He received the medal for pulling a quadriplegic man out of a burning vehicle near Ignace, Ont., on August 1, 2011. He was off duty at the time.

A medal of bravery was also given to Eunice Selagi of Kaministiquia, Ont., who assisted MWO Walker in the rescue.

The citation reads as follows:

On August 1, 2011, Eunice Selagi and Chief Warrant Officer Tom Walker rescued a disabled man from a burning vehicle, near Ignace, Ont. Mrs. Selagi had been driving the man in her van when she noticed the vehicle was overheating and pulled over to check on it. Driving behind them, CWO Walker stopped to help. As flames and intense heat rose from beneath the van, he pulled open the side door, where he saw the quadriplegic victim strapped into a wheelchair. Mrs. Selagi jumped inside and unlatched the straps that secured the chair in place. Both rescuers got the chair onto the lift and lowered the ramp which, unfortunately, did not reach the ground. With the help of bystanders, CWO Walker was able to lift the victim from his wheelchair and carry him a safe distance away.

CWO Walker also received a citation for bravery from the commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police last October and a lifesaving commendation the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem for the same rescue.

In an interview last fall, CWO Walker explained why he stopped to help.

“Looking back, I have been in the Canadian Armed Forces for 40 years and have been trained to use initiative, critical thinking and most of all, be a leader. I just kept saying to myself ‘I am not going to let this man die or leave him alone. Not on my watch’.”

More details about the rescue.