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John Chatterton

A Firefighter’s Journey Back to Life

It was supposed to be firefighter John Chatterton’s day off. Instead, he was called in for a shift at the fire hall that would change his life forever.

It was a frigid day in February 2007 when John’s unit was called to the massive fire on Forward Street in Ottawa’s west end. While searching one of the two burning apartment buildings, John and two other firefighters became trapped in thick smoke with no other option but to jump from a third-storey window.

As the senior lieutenant, John jumped last and has since been lauded a hero for saving the lives of his two colleagues. Falling blindly because his mask was black with soot, John landed on his right leg first. He broke his femur, shattered his elbow, cracked his pelvis and 3 ribs, sustained a nerve injury to his brachial plexus that paralyzed his left arm for four months, herniated three discs in his neck and sustained second degree burns to 10% of his body from the searing heat.

“It was like I was in slow motion during the fall,” he recalls. “I remember everything.” Including the agonizing trip by ambulance to The Ottawa Hospital’s Civic Campus emergency. Three shots of painkillers finally dropped him into a painless haze that he drifted in and out of for about a week. During that time, he was operated on twice to repair his leg and elbow and received treatment for his severe burns.

John spent six weeks in the Civic Campus Trauma Unit, two weeks in a convalescence home in Stittsville near his house, and then another five weeks in The Ottawa Hospital Rehabilitation Centre to regain physical strength in his leg and pelvis.

Throughout his experience, John was amazed at the care and support he received. “They were all so kind…I just can’t believe that I was on the receiving end of that kind of care.”

He is particularly grateful to the trauma unit and rehabilitation staff.

“They never gave up. They give you support and hope. They say ‘you will get out of here, you will walk, you will run, you will go back to work…and we’ll help you get there.’”

John is back at work today, fulfilling all his duties.

“It’s thanks to the exceptional care I received. When I needed the help, it was there. How can you ever thank someone enough for saving your life?” Perhaps he can ask the two firefighters who credit him for saving theirs.