City honours Coast Guard members for 2004 rescue

The city recognized valour on Monday night, as Prince Rupert city council awarded the William Booth medal to four members of the Canadian Coast Guard, recognition for their part in the rescue operation for the F/V Larissa.

The members of the Point Henry crew, are only the second recipients of the city's award for valour, crew member Les Palmer was awarded the Order of Canada last year for his part in the rescue of the fishermen.

He requested that the city also honour his co workers for their part in the operation.

The Daily News provided full details of the ceremony and the background behind the story.

CITY SAYS THANKS TO CREW OF THE POINT HENRY
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Page One

Crew members of the Canadian Coast Guard vessel the Point Henry were honoured for their role in the rescue of two fishermen during a ceremony at city hall last night.

The CCG Point Henry’s First Officer Les Palmer, Captain Don Lee, Leading Seaman Lawrence Brown, Seaman William Robb and Chief Engineer Mark Brown were presented with the William Booth Award for valour for their roles in the icy rescue.

“As everybody is well aware, Les Palmer and the crew of the Point Henry did this community proud.

“Council wanted to do a fitting recognition, some way to recognize this but we had no organized program,” said Prince Rupert Mayor Herb Pond.

Since the incident back in 2004, the city has put in place the William Booth Award, so it can appropriately recognize members of the community for acts of valour.

The award is named after Sgt. William Booth, who in 1921, gave his own life while trying to stop a runaway wagon and save the lives of two local children.

“While all of the limelight has been focused on the effort of Mr. Palmer, and rightly so, Mr. Palmer said there was a whole crew out there making this happen,” said Pond.

Palmer requested that if the city honour him, it honours the entire crew.

“I think that’s quite appropriate,” said Pond.

The conditions that night were extreme, with the weather minus-30 on the water and winds blowing from 80 to 100 knots.

The F/V Larissa had began taking on ice as it entered Grenville Channel. A huge wind had rocked the vessel and it began taking on water forcing two fishermen aboard to head for shore.

The crew headed out into the storm, with the Point Henry collecting ice as she made her way out to the site.

Palmer was dropped off by the Point Henry in a rubber boat to rescue the two men. He made three half-mile hikes in hip-deep snow, icy rocky terrain and in the face of storm-force northeasterlies between the stranding site and the location where he was able to land his equipment. He then offered medical care to two hypothermic survivors for several hours before the Coast Guard ship John P. Tully arrived.

The men were each presented with a plaque by the city and their names will be inscribed on the plaque that sits in city hall.

Last October, Palmer was awarded Canada’s highest award for bravery; the Cross of Valour for his efforts.

The is only the second time the city has presented its bravery award.

Prince Rupert’s Rob Brewer was also given the Sgt. William Booth Award for valour by the city for pulling his neighbour from a burning trailer.