Celebrating courage
The Burnaby Public Safety Award recognizes City residents who’ve shown exceptional courage—regardless of personal risk—to save or protect human life or property. The recipient receives a certificate and plaque from the mayor and the public safety committee chair at a council meeting.
Nomination criteria:
Candidates must:
- Have demonstrated a verifiable meritorious* service or an act of bravery related to fire prevention, crime prevention, community policing or public safety.
- Have demonstrated service or an act of bravery in the City of Burnaby or be a Burnaby citizen if outside the City within 2 years of the nomination.
*Meritorious service refers to a deed or activity performed in a professional manner or according to a very high standard. It's often innovative, sets an example for others to follow, improves the community's quality of life and brings benefit or honour to Burnaby.
Nominations
Any witness or attendee of the act of bravery can nominate the individual or group who performed the act by completing the nomination form. You can submit the form by email or mail:
City of Burnaby Public Safety Award
c/o Legislative Services
4949 Canada Way
Burnaby, BC V5G 1M2
Nominations are accepted at anytime during the year.
Meet our past winners
The Burnaby Public Safety Award was established in 2007. It honours the City's heroic and fearless residents. Meet some of our past winners:
On October 2, 2019, five security workers responded to a suicidal man openly wielding a knife in a busy, public space in Burnaby. These men put their safety aside and took control of the situation.
Mike Keller stepped in and took the knife from the man, while Richard Lipinski rang the emergency services. Alan Layton applied first aid to the male and was assisted by Keller, Lipinski and their coworkers Monty Shaw and Daniel Haynes. Lipinski kept the paramedics updated on the man's status until they arrived.
Their bravery, quick thinking and selflessness saved the man's life and protected members of the public from harm.
In early 2015, two cars collided near Canada Way and Beta Avenue. One of the vehicles slid across the roadway onto the sidewalk, significantly injuring a pedestrian. Mr. Wilson, Mr. Rasmussen and Ms. Littke rushed to the pedestrian's aid and administered CPR, not hesitating to put their medical training to practice. The pedestrian was later rushed to a hospital. However, despite all the efforts, the victim sadly succumbed to the injuries.
In the summer of 2009, Mr. Leung responded to a call for help from an injured neighbour in Parkrest. He went back to his house to retrieve his phone and call the police. Leung returned to the neighbour's property and saw an individual causing further injury to the neighbour. Leung bravely intervened and called the police again. Leung's actions eventually stopped the attack. The victim survived despite receiving some serious injuries.
In the summer of 2008, Mr. Ponting responded to a call for help from a passerby regarding a struggle between two individuals in a public space in Brentwood Park. Ponting rushed to the scene, pulled the perpetrator off the victim and held the attacker down until the police arrived. Ponting saved the life of the victim by putting his safety at risk.