Firefighter who suffered heart attack on shinty pitch in Highlands thanks hero colleagues

A firefighter who suffered a cardiac arrest on a shinty pitch has hailed his colleagues for saving his life.

Steven MacLachlan had been refereeing a match between Shiel and Caberfeidh in Strathpeffer in the Highlands when he became unwell on Saturday, March 30. The Watch Commander suffered a cardiac arrest during the match cup.

Firefighters Conor Cormack and Keith MacRae rapidly moved in to Steven's aid and swiftly retrieved a nearby defibrillator. They started cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on the pitch until paramedics arrived.

Steven was then rushed to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness and has been recovering well. The firefighter returned to the pitch grounds last week to to support his colleagues, who were presented with certificates.

Reflecting on the incident, Steven said: “If it wasn’t for Conor and Keith, I wouldn’t be here to tell the tale. The pair of them thoroughly deserve the recognition they’ve been given.”

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s Local Senior Officer for Highland Michael Humphreys attended the rescheduled Caberfeidh v Kinlochshiel match in Strathpeffer at the weekend to acknowledge their efforts.

He said: “Firefighters acquire life-saving skills as part of their role but they are sometimes called upon to use them in the most unexpected of situations. We all wish Steven a continued speedy recovery.”

CPR is a life-saving procedure performed when someone is in cardiac arrest and it helps to pump blood and oxygen around a person’s body when their heart can’t. Conor, a wholetime firefighter at Inverness Community Fire Station, and Keith, an on call firefighter at Kyle Community Fire Station, will receive a formal Chief Officer's Commendation for their actions later this year.

In light of recent events, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, in partnership with charity Lucky2BHere, will hold a series of defibrillator awareness evenings aimed specifically at sports teams across the Western Isles. The initiative is being rolled out by Group Commander Dougie Campbell, with support from Lewis Camanach shinty team, Stornoway Rugby, and Western Isles Men and Women's Football.

Emphasising the importance of being equipped with life-saving skills, Dougie said: “As we celebrate the bravery of Conor and Keith, their actions show us how vital it is for everyone to know how to save a life. We would encourage as many of the players and officials to attend at the awareness nights when they take place in their local fire stations.”

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