FIREFIGHTER WHO PULLED CHILD FROM CAR, STRUCK BY CONCRETE TRUCK, HONOURED BY ROTARIANSFIREFIGHTER WHO PULLED CHILD FROM CAR, STRUCK BY CONCRETE TRUCK, HONOURED BY ROTARIANS

Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com

GRAVENHURST — Finding firefighters is always a chore.

Tyler Theriault is the kind Chief Jared Cayley loves to get.

The young recruit who just passed the one-year mark as a volunteer with the Gravenhurst Fire Department is proving a poster guy for the brigade.

In August, when he was 10 months on the job, he was returning to work from washing his bunker gear at Station #1 downtown (a dedicated job on its own) when he came across a near fatal accident at the intersection of Bethune Drive and Muskoka Road.

He was driving down the main street when he was one of the first to come upon a northbound concrete delivery truck that collided with a little car southbound on Bethune.

The truck rolled over nearly crushing the car.

While other emergency services were en route on the 911 calls, Theriault jumped into action.

He was first to see a child’s seat partway out of the vehicle with a toddler still in it.

Her grandparents were stuck inside.

The firefighter was able to quickly extricate the child and present him to a bystander who saw it all unfold as she was following in the vehicle behind. The bystander then handed her to her frantic mother who arrived shortly after.

Then Theriault turned his attention to the grandparents inside, comforting and consoling them as police and paramedics arrived.

One of them was airlifted to hospital in Toronto by an Ornge ambulance that landed on Bethune Drive in the centre of fast food way at the south entrance to Gravenhurst.

This afternoon Cayley recounted the story as Theriault received recognition at Rotary’s weekly luncheon to honour emergency service workers.

The chief, who arrived shortly after, said he’s a stickler about his firefighters performing their duties in full work gear.

But given the emergent circumstances he allowed Theriault to carry on assisting fellow firefighters, the OPP and Muskoka Paramedic Services as everyone rushed to stabilize the car and assist the truck driver and all involved.

Finally garbing up he helped everyone who got out safely.

But after it was over, Cayley said today Theriault wanted to return the station to clean up his bunker suit.

To which the chief had to tell him: “You’ve done enough for today.”

The story was one of a couple told at the meeting recognizing how, as Rotarian and retired Peel police officer Bryan Graham said, the community is served by emergency service workers who go beyond the call of duty.

He said they exemplify Rotary’s motto of ‘Service above self.’

Now that’s a dedicated firefighter, said Cayley.

Also recognized was Const. Sarah Van Norman, who was honoured for her community service, said Insp. Jason Nickle.

Last week she was among several Muskoka OPP who volunteered to police in South Simcoe and Barrie so police from those communities could attend the funeral for the two officers slain at a call to a home.

Rotary’s honours were a delayed a week due to the funeral.

She is also big part of the Andy Potts foundation, including its golf tournament, which raises money for local charities.

Potts was an OPP officer who died several years ago after hitting a moose with his cruiser while responding to domestic call on a foggy night near Torrance. Muskoka Hospice named its palliative care residence in Port Carling after him.

Van Norman, who received a similar award from Guelph’s police chief in 2008 for helping evacuate a burning building, donated her $100 Rotary honour to the Potts foundation.

Theriault donated his to Gravenhurst Against Poverty, whose chair Rotarian Bonnie said “thanks” in gratefully accepting it.

Paramedic Brad Davies represented his service to present an award to Keith Marshall, who came down with COVID yesterday.

Rotarian John Cooper said the award will be presented later in Bracebridge at the MPS offices where paramedics will be able to attend.

Davies said after Marshall is being recognized for his efforts to permanently recruit paramedics, a job he said made difficult by a Muskoka housing shortage.

Each recipient also receives a silver coin with Rotary’s ‘Service above self’ motto on it.

The Gravenhurst service club recognizes the police, paramedics and firefighters three times a year.

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