Hastings-Quinte Paramedics Dominic Rehayem, Roger Litwiller, and Dave Valdes have each received the Ontario Medal for Paramedic Bravery.
The three were recognized at the March Hastings County Emergency Services Committee meeting by Chair, Garnet Thompson, and Warden Bob Mullin.
“The Ontario Paramedic Chiefs have advocated for a Paramedic Medal of Bravery to be awarded, similar to those given to firefighters and police officers since 1976”, explains Chief Carl Bowker.
“After lobbying by the Paramedic Chiefs of Ontario, in 2023, the first Paramedic Medal of Bravery was issued, and Ontario made the decision to recognize the previous winners of the Ontario Award for Paramedic Bravery, and we are extremely grateful.”
Paramedic Dominic Rehayem was recognized for a remote call he attended where an ATV rider was stranded by water and suffering from hypothermia after an accident.
Rehayem used a rope anchored to a tree and waded across a fast-moving stream to reach the patient. He then brought the man back across the water and transported him to an abandoned hunting cabin where he was able to provide aid until the man could be safely transported in an ambulance.
Paramedics Roger Litwiller and Dave Valdes were the first on the scene where they came to a smoke-filled room with someone lying unconscious on the floor. The paramedics entered and crawled beneath the smoke and extracted the patient to an ambulance. All three were transported to the hospital where they were treated for smoke inhalation.
“These medals show us the types of challenges our paramedics face on a daily basis to support our residents”, said Committee Chair Thompson.
“Thank you for your unwavering commitment to serving our communities.”
