Three Kelowna police officers awarded for bravery

KELOWNA – After rescuing a woman from a vehicle shortly before it exploded into flames, three Kelowna RCMP officers were each awarded a Bronze Medal for Bravery by the Royal Canadian humane Society.

“On September 10, the three general duty police officers worked together to rescue an unconscious and injured woman from inside her minivan that had struck a light standard in the parking lot of a Kelowna hotel,” states an RCMP press release. “A short time after being pulled from the vehicle, the woman’s van became fully engulfed in flames. The woman survived the ordeal. The dramatic rescue was caught on camera from the room of a hotel patron.”

The three officers, Const. Marvin Park, Const. Lee Romanko and Const. Ryan Routley were awarded their medals by Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, Janet Austin, along with 16 other award winners from all over B.C.

The ceremony was held in West Kelowna on Oct. 26.

The Royal Canadian Humane Association was established in 1894 by Queen Victoria. Today its purpose is to provide recognition to those persons who, through their alertness, skill, and concern bring about the saving of life, especially where those actions lie outside the ordinary duties of the person involved.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Rob Munro or call 250-808-0143 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.