Jersey firefighters to the rescue at Gatwick

Thursday 30 October 2014

They are trained to battle burning buildings, rescue injured Islanders from cliffs and help people in trouble around the coast - but a group of Jersey firefighters proved they are ready to help people no matter where they are when they saved the life of a passenger at Gatwick Airport.

The man who had collapsed in the Airport’s departures area was lucky to have the five off-duty firefighters on hand to help resuscitate him as they waited to travel home from a training course in the UK.

For twenty minutes they took it in turns to give the man CPR and used the Airport’s defibrillator on him until an ambulance crew arrived on the scene to take over.

Crew Commander Andrew Gallie, Crew Commander Mark Walker, Retained Crew Commander Craig Hartley and Firefighters Leighton Jenkins and Alan Wallwork have all been officially commended for their actions.

Chief Fire Officer Mark James said: “The quick thinking actions and interventions of our firefighters undoubtedly helped to save this man’s life and highlights the benefits of firefighters having enhanced life saving medical skills. It gives me great pleasure to be able to acknowledge the outstanding performance of our firefighters that helped save a man’s life.”

Director of Clinical Operations at South East Coast Ambulance NHS Foundation Trust Professor Andy Newton said that by the time the man arrived at East Sussex Hospital he was breathing on his own. He hopes to see more cases of firefighters stepping in and using their training in emergencies like these.

He said: “The sooner we can get more Fire & Rescue Service co-responding the more of this sort of case we will have, as your personnel appear to have demonstrated.  Please pass on my thanks to them on behalf of South East Coast Ambulance NHS Foundation Trust”