#return to region

Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

GASPÉ – A cadet with the Sûreté du Québec, Mikaël Denis, 21, from Gaspé, helped revive a woman who had lost consciousness at Montmorency Falls Park in Quebec City.

The incident occurred on July 12 on the footbridge overlooking the falls, located on the border between Quebec City and Boischatel.

Mr. Denis, along with his 19-year-old colleague, Maude Fournier, were on preventive patrol in public areas as part of their duties.

“Around 7 p.m., we went to Montmorency Falls Park to do some surveillance. We work on the Boischatel side and arrived on the east side. We got on the footbridge and people on the west side were waving to get our attention. That’s when we moved toward them to see what was going on and saw a woman on the ground,” the cadet explains.

The police recruit immediately sprang into action. “We made space around the victim, and I personally leaned over to check her vital signs and level of consciousness. The woman had a very weak pulse and was completely unconscious. We put her in the recovery position,” continues Mr. Denis.

As luck would have it, a doctor happened to be at the scene. “He came to help me, and on the phone, dispatch asked us to perform CPR, so the doctor and I took turns until the paramedics took over,” says the cadet.

“I did what I could. We did our best, and everyone was satisfied,” Mr. Denis says afterward.
During his training, he received emergency first aid training. “It’s a course we take in college, and that’s what helped me respond. The symptoms were something we had seen during training. It allowed me to stay in control of the situation,” explains the recruit.

This event reaffirmed Mr. Denis’ career choice. Mr. Denis is studying in the two-year accelerated program in Police Techniques at Cégep Garneau in Quebec City. He will begin his final year at CEGEP in August and will complete his training at the École nationale de police de Nicolet.
The future officer would like to pursue his career in Gaspé or at least in the Gaspé Peninsula, though assignments with the Sûreté du Québec are determined by the organization.