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Yorkton's fire chief presented certificates of heroism and special fire department medallions to two youths November 25 for rescuing a man from a burning vehicle.

In the early hours of November 15, Nikita Brass, 17 and Dionne Kirschman, 19, came across the car on Catherine Street. Brass stopped her car, called 911 and, risking their own safety, the two teens got out of the car and approached the other vehicle .

"I seen the guy that was in the car hanging out the window," Brass said. "He was coughing and it was like a deep heavy cough from all the big black smoke. Dionne opened the front driver door and we pulled him out."

She said they didn't really have time to think about it.

"At first I was scared, I didn't know what was happening and I got really scared once I heard him coughing and seen him hanging out the front door window, I didn't know if he was hurt and I was just glad I got him out of there before the fire actually hit the inside of the car."

When firefighters arrived, it was clear how important it was the teens had acted, said fire chief Trevor Morrisey.

"The only reason he did not sustain severe injuries or even death was because they got him out," Morrisey said. "The vehicle was fully involved and the compartment was full of heavy smoke."

Brass was humbled by the accolades.

"It's really crazy, I never really thought anything would have come of it," she said with respect to receiving the commendation. "I knew I did a good deed and I was just thankful and I'm proud of myself for being there at the right moment, at the right time; he could have been really injured. It was never about me, it was always about him, I guess. He was my first priority at the time."

The Yorkton Tribal Council also recognized the achievement presenting Brass with a traditional blanket.