An Owen Sound Police Officer has been awarded a Police Medal for Bravery.

On Thursday November 24th 2016 a veteran Police Constable with the Owen Sound Police Service was given top honours by the government of Ontario. Patrick Rawn was awarded the Police Medal for Bravery by the government of Ontario for his life saving actions during the morning hours of August 10, 2015, when an unknown person ignited several houses on fire. During this horrific crime, he responded to more than three locations where houses were ablaze with citizens trapped or sleeping inside.

The danger level for Constable Rawn escalated as time passed. He assisted a woman and man through an open window to safety when he noticed several occupants from the rear units of a complex trapped behind a wall of flames blocking their only path to safety. A deck was on fire and flames were shooting violently outward from a natural gas line that had ruptured and ignited.

Without special fire protection, he ran through the flames toward the trapped occupants and identified a safe route to escort them to safety and medical attention. He went back to the fires to check units ensuring all occupants were accounted for. After receiving no response at one unit, he forced entry to ensure that no one was inside. He then saw a nearby vehicle catch fire from the ignited gas spout of the parked car. While trying to douse the flames, Constable Rawn was told that residents were unaccounted for within the row houses and he immediately went to locate and rescue them. He attempted to gain access to the home, but was driven back by heavy smoke. He alerted firefighters to the possibility of a trapped person, and returned to the engulfed car.

Nobody died that night, in large part because of Constable Patrick Rawn's quick thinking and tireless heroics.

The suspected arsonist would eventually leave sixty Owen Sound residents homeless and their property destroyed at five locations before dawn.

This is the second award that Constable Rawn has received. In the spring of 2016, he was honoured by the Police Association of Ontario with the Hero Award for his brave and selfless actions in preventing the loss of life during that tragic morning.

source: media release, Owen Sound Police Services