Cst. Sean Gordon's quick action is credited for helping to rescue 10 people on Ghost Lake after a boat sunk and another day he saved a woman who was at risk of bleeding to death after being slashed by a sword.
Experience and training was key in the Ghost Lake response on July 14, 2018 when a dispatch told of people screaming in the water.
"I have lots of boating experience, I am from the east coast so I have been on boats my whole life," said Gordon who knew time was of the essence. "People are going to drown pretty quickly, especially if there is not enough safety equipment."
Gordon, was able to recruit assistance from a civilian boater to reach the people who were already in the frigid waters, and though the boat had enough life jackets on board before it sank many of the people in distress were not wearing flotation devices. He said he knew time was of the essence and fire rescue wasn't in the water yet.
Gordon said his training was key to a successful rescue.
"You have to pick your priorities, everyone wants to be rescued all at once," said Gordon, adding those without life jackets, in medical distress or most at risk are pulled from the water first. "We were pulling people out and people were falling back in the water. Then we have to keep people calm once they are in the boat too because they want to help get people out of the water but they are near frozen, they can’t help us."
Once everyone was aboard, Gordon's lifesaving efforts weren't over – a 15-year-old girl who had been in the water fell unconscious.
"I started doing CPR and once I started doing CPR she spit up a bunch of water and it was successful," said Gordon, who when asked what was going through his mind at that moment, replied, "You don’t really think about it a whole lot, you just do your job."
However, reflecting back now, he said it feels good knowing he helped someone and he thanks his training for giving him the tools to have been successful.
"You know that your training worked, the theories and skills behind it do work," he said.
Keith Crone, the civilian boater who assisted Gordon, described the officer's conduct as calm and professional.
"He did a nice job," Crone said, adding that by the time everyone was rescued his boat had 15 people aboard.
"Once we conducted the rescue it was a heavy boat. At that point we went back quite slow," said Gordon.
His second lifesaving effort came on March 9, 2018 during a violent incident in Bragg Creek following a sword attack.
Gordon and fellow officers entered a home to discover a woman lying on the floor with a serious leg wound and an active threat still in the home.
"We initially entered through the back of the house and we saw the female on the ground and she was bleeding a lot … she had already bled a lot," said Gordon.
In an incident like this officers have to work quickly and it is tough when the victim can't be attended to immediately.
"We knew there was an active threat in that house ... yes she was bleeding out for sure but we had to push past her to make sure the scene is safe so we can help. It’s a crappy feeling to know you have to walk past somebody who is begging for your help, but you have to," said Gordon, adding that leaving a threat unsecured has the potential to create more victims. "It’s definitely hard. You have to be safe … or you could be the next victim."
Once the sword-wielding assailant was arrested, Gordon raced back to the victim to apply a tourniquet to her leg until the bleeding stopped and EMS arrived.
"There was heavy bleeding spraying out of her leg so I knew I had to apply a tourniquet, it’s the easiest option to stop a major bleed right away," he said.
Gordon was presented with his bravery medal by deputy commissioner Curtis Zablocki, Commanding Officer of "K" Division RCMP, at a private ceremony on May 17.
"It’s an honour for sure. I don’t feel like a hero. I feel like I am just doing my job," he said. "It wasn’t expected but it’s nice to see people get recognized."
