L'Isle-Verte seniors' home first responders receive bravery medal

Canada's governorgeneral is recognizing 10 provincial police officers who helped rescue seniors from a burning senior-citizensresidencethe night of the deadly fire in l'Isle-Verte, Que.

On Monday, David Johnston awardednine men and one woman from the Sret du Qubec withthe Medal of Braveryat his official residence inside Quebec City's Citadelle.

"On January 23, 2014, 10 police officers from theSretduQubecrisked their lives to rescue senior citizens who were trapped by flames during a fire at theRsidenceduHavrenursing home inL'Isle-Verte, Que.," Johnston said in a written statement.

"Without any equipment, the officers braved both the extreme cold weather outsideand the heat and toxic smoke filling thehallways inside thethree-storeybuilding. They acted quickly as the fire spread, with some victims trapped in their rooms or on their balconies," he said.

Thirty-two people died that night.

'The sky was orange'

Constable Myriam St-Onge, one of the recipients,saidthe sky was orange, and it was difficult to see the building itself.

"We were able to get in through the section of the building that wasn't on fire, but there was a lot of smoke. It was impossible to breathe. Most people were semi-autonomous.It was dark, so we had to find ways to get them out to safety quickly," she said.

Constable Pascal-ric D'Amours saidhe also has flashbacks.

"When we smell a fire mixed with plastic, it's like automatic.We become hyper-vigilant,and we look everywhere to know where the fire is coming from. Maybe it's only a home furnace, but we have to make sure," he said.

D'Amours has lived in L'Isle-Verte for ten years, and he saidthe sight of the burnt-out ruinis a daily reminder of the 32seniors who didn't make it out of the building.

"There's a monument for the people who died. When I go past it, there's always an emotion in my heart. It's hard. It's always there reminding us, and I'm not sure if that's good or bad."

The coroner who investigated the fire also praised the officers,saying they had worked long, painstaking hours to save people.

The award recipients are:

• Sgt.Sbastien Briand,Rivire-du-Loup
• Const. Pascal-ric D'Amours,L'Isle-Verte
• Const.Simon Dufour,Matagami
• Sgt. Steve Duguay,Rivire-du-Loup
• Const. Mathieu Fournier,Rivire-du-Loup
• Const. Steve Guy,Cacouna
• Const. Francis Marquis,St-Fabien
• Const. Dominic Pellerin, Rimouski
• Const.Jean-Franois Ppin,St-Arsne
• Const.Myriam St-Onge, St-Arsne