Kingston Police officer among first responders to receive medals for bravery

The Ontario government has honoured 43 firefighters and police officers with the Ontario Medal for Firefighter Bravery and the Ontario Medal for Police Bravery for their outstanding courage. These medals are the province’s highest honours in recognition of firefighters and police officers whose actions demonstrate bravery in the line of duty.

Kingston Police Constable Filip Wisniak is among the recipients of the 2021 Ontario Medal for Police Bravery, and won the Police Association Of Ontario’s 2020 Police Services Hero of the Year award for his quick and life-saving actions during a fatal stabbing incident in downtown Kingston in 2019.

Speaking on Friday, Apr. 22, 2022, at the ceremony which celebrated recipients from 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021, Her Honour the Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, said, “All Ontarians owe a debt of gratitude to the 43 firefighters and police officers receiving this medal from across Ontario — separated by geography but connected by their heroism and service. In recent years, when so many of us have been asked to stay home, these brave men and women continued to serve as first responders. On behalf of a grateful province, I am pleased to recognize each of them for their outstanding efforts.”

“Ontario is fortunate to be home to the best firefighters and police officers in the country,” added Sylvia Jones, Solicitor General of Ontario. “It was a privilege and great honour to recognize 43 of these heroic first responders with medals of bravery. Every day, firefighters and police officers risk their lives to keep us safe. Their work is an inspiration to us all and, on behalf of a grateful province, we thank them for their dedication to their communities and their extraordinary courage.”

According to a release from the Ontario government, an independent body of citizens from the firefighting and policing communities representing all regions of Ontario determines medal recipients.

The recipients of the Ontario Medal for Firefighter Bravery are:

2018

• London Fire Department
  • Firefighter Andrew Braatz
  • Firefighter Tracy Bradt
  • Firefighter Paul Bray
  • Fire Captain Todd Broomhead
  • Fire Captain Christopher Champagne
  • Firefighter Craig Milliken
  • Firefighter Apparatus Operator Jason Timlick
    
• Tay Fire and Emergency Services
  • Deputy Shawn Aymer
  • Firefighter Jesse Bond
  • Firefighter Earl Grigg
  • Firefighter Brian Jarvis

2020

• Timmins Fire Department
  • Firefighter Steve Galarneau
  • Firefighter Greg Janiuk
  • Captain William McCord
  • Firefighter Travis Tulloch

2021

• Brampton Fire and Emergency Services
  • Firefighter Andreas Fortis
    
• Niagara Falls Fire Department
  • Firefighter Aaron Tate
    
• Quinte West Fire Department
  • Captain Perry Holland
  • Fire Chief John Whelan
    
• Toronto Fire Services
  • Firefighter Dylan Gladu
  • Fire Captain Robert Jackson
  • Fire Captain John Kenny
  • Firefighter Brittany Roberts

The recipients of the Ontario Medal for Police Bravery are:

2018

• Peel Regional Police Service
  • Constable Jason Beccario
  • Constable Manikosh Pathak
    
• Thunder Bay Police Service
  • Constable Brian Gilbert
  • Constable Brooke Pilley
  • Constable Jim Lorentz
  • Constable Marshall Moore

2019

• Belleville Police Service
  • Constable Ryan Laycoe
  • Constable Adam Donaldson
    
• Toronto Police Service
  • Constable Kenny Lam
  • Sergeant Michael Fonseca
  • Constable Hongfei Zhou
  • Constable Volodymyr Zvezdonkin
  • Constable Ryan Barnett
  • Constable Josh McSweeney

2020

• Ontario Provincial Police
  • Provincial Constable Sean Gilbert
  • Staff Sergeant Simon Hardy

2021

• Kingston Police Service
  • Constable Filip Wisniak
    
• Sarnia Police Service
  • Constable Greg Babcock
  • Constable Adam Williamson
    
• Windsor Police Service
  • Constable Ian Mailloux