The Medal of Honor for acts of courage and dedication is a very beautiful decoration because of what it represents: an admirable gesture. It is also a very old decoration and its history gives it a very special shine.
The first medal, called the “Salvage Medal”, was awarded in 1693, during the reign of Louis XIV, to reward a man who had saved several lives.
Thursday, November 7, at the Haute-Savoie prefecture, the prefect Yves Le Breton presented the medals, while emphasizing the importance of this initiative and the deep meaning of this gesture for each of the winners, which represents an act of bravery and dedication.
Silver Medal of Honor
▶ To David Fulconis and Jérémy Tisserand, who showed great courage and composure in the middle of a storm, to come to the aid of two lost mountaineers, also victims of multiple falls in crevasse, June 20, 2023 in Chamonix.
Bronze Medal of Honor
▶ To David Ramis, who rescued a person whose chalet was catching fire on October 22, 2021, in Chamonix.
▶ To Patrick Perret, who intervened during an armed robbery in a Scionzier store to put an end to this situation.
▶ To Laurent Bouvier, for having rescued a person who was swept away by the Thiou current, in Annecy, on May 2, 2023.
▶ To Patrice Moreau, boat pilot, for having rescued a boat adrift on Lake Annecy, with its passengers on board who did not know how to swim on August 10, 2023.
▶ To Nicolas Latierce, who came to the aid of a young woman who was threatening to commit suicide on the Sainte-Marie viaduct, on August 21, 2023, in Les Houches. His action saved a life.
▶ (outside the department) To François Durand and Salah Arradj, who intervened to stop a bus whose driver had become unwell in Fournes, in the Gard department. Their collective action saved the lives of the other passengers who were on board on November 14, 2023.
Bronze medal and letter of congratulations
▶ Bronze medals to Eoin Kelleher, anesthetist, and Kelly Dearbhla, doctor, and letters of congratulations to Mélissa Garcia-Alexandre, Jade Da Silva, Mila Alexandre and Maxime Alexandre, who rescued a three-year-old child by train to drown in the Crystal de Jade swimming pool in Chamonix.
Bronze level medal
▶ To Franck Girbe, business manager, who responded to a fire in a tanker truck transporting dangerous materials which led to the explosion of the vehicle, on January 20, 2023 in Fillinges, which caused no casualties.
Letter of congratulations
▶ To chief sergeant Jérôme Daniel and Natan Daniel (his son) who intervened when a roof fire broke out on May 2, 2023.
Mention honorable
▶ To Frédéric Bastard, who rescued people during an attic fire in a residential building in the town center of Gets. His professional background as a former firefighter may have been useful to him, but in no way takes away the courage of his action which made it possible to save, on December 3, 2023, the lives of the people present in this building.
