THUNDER BAY — An off-duty paramedic who came across a catastrophic highway accident and stepped up to help the victims has received the Ontario Medal for Paramedic Bravery.
Chantal Olson of Superior North EMS was recognized this week during a ceremony in Toronto where she and six other paramedics from across the province were honoured for risking their lives to save others.
"What she did was completely selfless," said Shane Muir, chief of Superior North EMS. "It's all what we all aspire to be in this profession."
He was describing an incident that occurred in January 2023, when Olson was off duty and driving home on Highway 11/17.
She reached the Dorion area moments after a tragic head-on collision between two pickup trucks.
Both drivers were trapped in their vehicles.
Olson, the first person on the scene, moved quickly to try to extricate a man while his truck caught on fire.
An off-duty Thunder Bay police officer happened by just then, and pulled Olson away from the vehicle as it began to explode.
She then attended to the other driver, and provided ongoing care for the patient during a 45-minute ride to hospital by ambulance.
"I could not be more proud of Chantal. Her heroic actions and brave demeanour are a true testament to the strength of her character and the depth of her commitment," Muir wrote in a memo Tuesday to Superior North EMS staff.
He called her an inspiration and a role model for paramedics across Ontario.
Muir told Newswatch that 20 months after the Dorion incident Olson encountered a similar situation involving a vehicle engulfed in flames following a collision on Highway 11/17 in Shuniah, and that she once again performed heroically.
"So it wasn't just once. It's just time and time again that she continues to provide these amazing actions for our public."