Belleville man honoured for rescue heroics

By Kristen Oelschlagel

BELLEVILLE (13/06/12) Jason Snyder (centre right) accepting his award for saving the life of Amanda Acker (right). Photo by Kristen Oelschlagel.

Jason Snyder was able to keep a woman he pulled into his canoe, barely clinging to life, alive for over three hours.

“I had to apply compresses into the wound. There was a lot of tissue damage and her leg was split open. I wasn’t sure if she was going to make it,” Snyder said.

Snyder’s first aid training allowed him to save the life of Amanda Acker.

He was honoured for his efforts at Belleville city council meeting on June 11 when he was awarded with the St. John Ambulance Gold Life-Saving Award.

Acker was canoeing with her father at Algonquin Park when a boulder fell on her, pushing her in the water. Snyder was camping on a nearby island when he heard the calls for help.

“I heard the yelling, grabbed my nephew and we paddled over to the accident site. I realized Amanda had a crushed leg and started applying first aid,” Snyder said.

It took three and a half hours for the group to canoe and portage to the Shall Lake access point. Snyder administered first aid to Acker in the middle of canoe while his nephew and Amanda’s father paddled.

Because of the temperature of the water, hypothermia was also a concern. Acker was eventually airlifted to Ottawa Civic Hospital.

“I’m honoured to be given the award, but I’m also honoured I was able to learn these skills and apply them,” said Snyder.

He started first aid training when he joined the military in the early 1980’s. Snyder has had to use the training on more than one occasion and said they are valuable skills to have.

“In this situation, the skills I learned from St. John Ambulance allowed me to save a life. If people don’t have those skills set it’s tough to deal with situations like that,” Snyder said.

He said first aid is a skill set that everyone should learn when they’re young and maintain throughout their life. Because you never know when you’re going to need it.