On May 24, 1998, the officers and cadets of No. 176 Squadron were on exercise near Tulabi Falls, Manitoba, for the purpose of aircrew survival training. At approximately 1210 hours, as the squadron was packing to leave, two senior cadets went to the observation platform overlooking Tulabi Falls. While there they noticed a girl standing in the water at the mouth of the falls.

Tess Furtado, age 12, was washing her feet in the lake when she slipped and fell into the water. The intense current carried her over the falls.

FSgts Nathan Fredrickson and Aaron Arnason ran from the observation deck down a trail beside the water and came to the last section of the falls. Fredrickson jumped into the water and swam out to Furtado. He grabbed onto her and kept her head above the turbulent water. Arnason called to a nearby fishing boat for assistance and arranged for more help from bystanders. The boat brought Tess and Fredrickson to shore.

While shaken up and injured, Furtado received no injuries to her head, neck or back and she had no broken bones or internal injuries.

"When I jumped onto the rocks I thought she was going to die," Fredrickson recalled. "Tess was in hysterics and bleeding. I had to get her to focus, so I gave her my watch and then she climbed toward me and I was able to get her to safety," said Fredrickson, who received cuts on his feet and slight hypothermia.

"Most people in the same situation would do the same thing I did," he said. He noted that the happiest part of receiving the Air Cadet Medal of Bravery was that Furtado was the one who presented Fredrickson and Arnason with their awards.