CALMAC staff have saved a man’s life after he suffered a heart attack waiting to board a ferry.
The alarm was raised when a 70-year-old man became unwell whilst waiting in the queue at Oban earlier this month.
Noticing he was in distress, his wife ran into the terminal building to ask staff for help.
Office clerks Morag Boyd and Jenna MacPhail ran to his aid and managed to get him out of the car and into the recovery position.
Pier supervisor Alan MacPhail joined the pair and they put their medical training to good use – delivering CPR and mouth-to-mouth.
Minutes later, an ambulance arrives and paramedics took over before moving the man to hospital in the town for further treatment.
The man was later transferred to specialist cardiac facilities in Glasgow, where he was described as in a critical condition.
Paramedics and nursing staff have commended the work of Alan and Morag, saying that their quick-thinking and expertise undoubtedly saved the man’s life.
Their praise has been echoed by CalMac’s Port Manager in Oban, Allison McDermott, who said: “First and foremost I and all my staff here are very pleased to know that the gentleman is making a good recovery.
“I could not be more proud of how our amazing staff here reacted to this difficult event – not only Alan and Morag, who were calm, professional and skilled under pressure, but other staff members including Jenna, who was part of the initial response and comforted the man’s wife during what was a very traumatic event, before accompanying her to the hospital.
“Both paramedics and nursing staff phoned to let me know that the rapid and correct response delivered by Alan and Morag most likely saved the man’s life.
“All of us here at Oban hope he is feeling much better soon and that he makes a full recovery; we have, today, received a letter of thanks from his wife along with a gift for the staff, which was very kind.”
Medical staff have confirmed that the man, who is in his 70s and from York, has responded to
treatment and is recovering well.
