Atikokan conservation officer earns OPP citation for lifesaving

Atikokan MNR conservation officer Joseph Burroughs will receive an OPP Commissioner’s Citation for Lifesaving for his role in saving two hypothermic men stranded in a snowstorm while ice fishing on Eltrut Lake a year ago.

He, Jarod Ascott, an employee of Hyatt’s Manion Lake Lodge, and his employer Don Hyatt, will receive the Commissioner’s Commendation at the upcoming Northwest Region OPP awards ceremony, along with district Sgt. Greg Beazley and Cst. Rob Chivers-Wilson.

Rainy River OPP detachment commander Insp. Steve Shouldice noted these recognitions are the “highest award you can receive in the OPP,” as he shared the events of the day that day, February 21, 2014 with Police Services Board members here February 10.

The OPP received a call from family members of two overdue fishermen at 3 am, during extreme weather warnings and blizzard conditions. The family was unsure of the exact fishing location, but suspected the two men, in their 60s and in poor health, had snowmachined into Eltrut Lake from the landing. Eltrut is northwest of Atikokan, about 32 kilometres north of Highway 11 up the Manion Lake logging road.

Read more here