Liam Bernard and Shane Bernard, Waycobah First Nation, Nova Scotia

On September 16, 2016, best friends, Liam Bernard and Shane Bernard, were travelling on Highway 105 when they arrived at the scene of a motor vehicle accident that occurred moments before. One vehicle, with two passengers, was on fire. Liam and Shane, and other bystanders helped one of the passengers exit the vehicle, but the driver was pinned inside the car with flames at his feet. Liam entered the burning vehicle to free the driver’s legs, while Shane held on to Liam’s belt to anchor him to the ground. The trapped driver realized the danger the Bernards’ were in and insisted they stop trying to help him. However, Liam chose to ignore the request and continued to attempt to pull the driver out of the burning truck. While Shane held on to Liam’s belt, giving him more reach, Liam was finally able to free the driver. The driver, Liam, and Shane were pulled away from the vehicle by other individuals just as the truck became engulfed in flames.

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Eric Nickerson, Clark’s Harbour, Nova Scotia

On November 19, 2016, Eric Nickerson, a Leading Seaman stationed on a small Canadian Coast Guard vessel, the CCGS Clarks Harbour, was tasked by the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre to answer a distress call of a 32-foot sailboat with a broken mainsail boom that was taking on water in rough seas off southwestern Nova Scotia. Ocean swells were over 30 feet with high winds blowing up to 60 knots. A fully equipped emergency aircraft and a patrol vessel were also deployed, but the extreme weather conditions were expected to delay their arrival, complicating the rescue. At the scene, the crew of the CCGS Clark’s Harbour found a lone sailor in a panicked state. The crew provided a survival suit to the distressed sailor, but he was unable to properly secure it. Mr. Nickerson insisted on boarding the partially submerged sailboat to help the sailor who appeared immobilized. Despite the rough seas, Mr. Nickerson boarded the sailboat successfully. Unfortunately, the sailor’s survival suit would not zip up completely. With immediate risk of the sailboat sinking, the rescue attempt had to continue. As the sailor attempted to step aboard the waiting life raft, he was thrown overboard by the waves. The sailor’s partially zipped survival suit took on water, putting him in immediate danger of drowning. The Cormorant helicopter was unable to perform an airlift rescue due to the extreme weather conditions. Mr. Nickerson, without hesitation, jumped into the ocean to help the sailor. Nickerson stabilized the distraught sailor long enough for the crew of the CCGS Clark’s Harbour to recover the sailor from the seas. After the sailor was assessed and moved, Mr. Nickerson was recovered.

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Travis Wolfe, Port Joli, Nova Scotia

On February 14, 2017, after back-to-back winter storms in Port Joli, Travis Wolfe was helping clear snow from his grandparent’s driveway. He heard an explosion and saw that the neighbours’ house was on fire. He knew his elderly neighbours were home at the time and were using a generator due to the power outage in the area. Mr. Wolfe and his grandfather immediately got into the truck and drove towards the neighbours’ home. The truck got stuck in the high snow drifts so Mr. Wolfe jumped out and made his way on foot through the snow to the house. When Mr. Wolfe arrived, one end of the house was engulfed in flames, so he entered through the other entrance. The black smoke was thick, but he was able to find one of his elderly neighbours by feel. She had been thrown across the room in the explosion. Mr. Wolfe carried her outside and managed to get a short distance from the house before collapsing in the snow. Mr. Wolfe’s grandfather arrived and assisted his grandson and their neighbour to his vehicle where they waited for emergency responders to arrive as they were delayed due to the deep snow. Mr. Wolfe’s bravery and quick response saved his neighbors life that day. Sadly, the other neighbor passed away in the explosion. The family remain in our thoughts.