An emergency medical technician was recognized by the Sylvan Lake RCMP on Tuesday for his quick thinking and bravery in helping police apprehend a prisoner in July.
Joey Manson was presented a certificate of appreciation by S/Sgt. Gary Rhodes at the Sylvan Lake detachment for his role in apprehending a fleeing prisoner, after an RCMP member’s knee buckled in the pursuit.
Manson caught the prisoner, and restrained him until the RCMP member was able to carry out an arrest.
“To be commended is quite a feeling,” he said. “It could have been anybody else, but I just took the opportunity as I saw fit.”
Manson added he wasn’t expecting recognition for his actions, and was simply helping a colleague in need.
“We have such huge camaraderie between all emergency services here,” he said, describing the incident as being “very interesting and very exciting.”
It also gave him a stronger appreciation for the work police officers do.
“To see that these members do what I did on a daily basis is an amazing thing,” he said. “It gives me a profound respect for what they do.”
Rhodes said the situation Manson was involved in provided a prime example of the benefits of the teamwork and co-operation that exists between all emergency responders.
“It’s a really great example of somebody in emergency services helping out another team member,” he said. “Even more than that, it’s an example of a citizen helping out a police officer who’s been injured, and (apprehending) an escaping prisoner who would have escaped without the efforts of Joey.”