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A 'huge honour'
Shot cop gets awards
By TAMAS VIRAG, SUN MEDIA
Three officers awarded for individual acts of bravery
Dozens of city cops - including ones who nearly made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty - were honoured for doing their part to keep Edmonton safe yesterday.
But, far from resting on their laurels, some officers continue to go above and beyond the call of duty to help citizens and colleagues.
"It's a huge honour ... it feels great, after all we've all been through," said a smiling Const. Dan Furman shortly after picking up a couple of awards, including the Edmonton Police Service Medal of Honour.
Furman, along with Const. Terry Cassels and Const. Jason Mitchell, were awarded for their actions on June 29, 2006, when a gunman opened fire on them, nearly killing Furman.
Furman credits Mitchell with saving his life by employing a simple - and critical - first aid method: applying the right amount of pressure at the right time.
Furman, who has since been lobbying for more intensive first aid training for his comrades, says regular police first aid training would not have saved his life. Mitchell's army-honed skills did.
"I remember that night, I remember laying there, as I was bleeding out, and looking up and people were looking down at me and they had blank faces," he said to reporters at the Shaw Conference Centre yesterday. "I asked them at a later date, 'What were you thinking?' and they said, 'we didn't know what to do.'"
That was enough to start Furman - now a six-year veteran of the EPS - down the path he has not strayed from since.
"We felt that what we needed was something more than just your regular Level C first aid and CPR," the upbeat cop said. "We're constantly going into situations where there's potential, where we're dealing with very violent people and violent injuries ... and we just needed more habitual, scenario-based training."
Cassels said that on that fateful night, which left their assailant dead and Furman clinging to life, luck and general training were on their side. But future generations of city cops may be the ones who reap the real benefits of the harrowing drama.
"The night itself was a different type of scenario than one the Edmonton Police Service has encountered before, the way this type of incident went down. I think what it might become later on is a training scenario for members in case they come into this type of situation," Cassels said.
"It was a very unique incident and I never, myself, figured I would be involved in this type of thing, even after 25 years of service at that time and we were all quite lucky and very fortunate."
Cassels was honoured with the EPS Medal of Valour, while Mitchell walked away with the EPS Officer Safety Award.
TAMAS.VIRAG@SUNMEDIA.CA
http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Edmonton/2009/04/30/9298686-sun.html
Ever make a mistake? I hit enter by accident while trying to correct my spelling, now I don't know how to fix it, mods if you could :-\
I think I got it.
Shot cop gets awards
By TAMAS VIRAG, SUN MEDIA
Three officers awarded for individual acts of bravery
Dozens of city cops - including ones who nearly made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty - were honoured for doing their part to keep Edmonton safe yesterday.
But, far from resting on their laurels, some officers continue to go above and beyond the call of duty to help citizens and colleagues.
"It's a huge honour ... it feels great, after all we've all been through," said a smiling Const. Dan Furman shortly after picking up a couple of awards, including the Edmonton Police Service Medal of Honour.
Furman, along with Const. Terry Cassels and Const. Jason Mitchell, were awarded for their actions on June 29, 2006, when a gunman opened fire on them, nearly killing Furman.
Furman credits Mitchell with saving his life by employing a simple - and critical - first aid method: applying the right amount of pressure at the right time.
Furman, who has since been lobbying for more intensive first aid training for his comrades, says regular police first aid training would not have saved his life. Mitchell's army-honed skills did.
"I remember that night, I remember laying there, as I was bleeding out, and looking up and people were looking down at me and they had blank faces," he said to reporters at the Shaw Conference Centre yesterday. "I asked them at a later date, 'What were you thinking?' and they said, 'we didn't know what to do.'"
That was enough to start Furman - now a six-year veteran of the EPS - down the path he has not strayed from since.
"We felt that what we needed was something more than just your regular Level C first aid and CPR," the upbeat cop said. "We're constantly going into situations where there's potential, where we're dealing with very violent people and violent injuries ... and we just needed more habitual, scenario-based training."
Cassels said that on that fateful night, which left their assailant dead and Furman clinging to life, luck and general training were on their side. But future generations of city cops may be the ones who reap the real benefits of the harrowing drama.
"The night itself was a different type of scenario than one the Edmonton Police Service has encountered before, the way this type of incident went down. I think what it might become later on is a training scenario for members in case they come into this type of situation," Cassels said.
"It was a very unique incident and I never, myself, figured I would be involved in this type of thing, even after 25 years of service at that time and we were all quite lucky and very fortunate."
Cassels was honoured with the EPS Medal of Valour, while Mitchell walked away with the EPS Officer Safety Award.
TAMAS.VIRAG@SUNMEDIA.CA
http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Edmonton/2009/04/30/9298686-sun.html
Ever make a mistake? I hit enter by accident while trying to correct my spelling, now I don't know how to fix it, mods if you could :-\
I think I got it.
