Fife Scotrail staff save life of colleague using defibrillator at Inverkeithing rail station

Railway workers saved the life of one of their colleagues, who stopped breathing after they collapsed at Inverkeithing Station.

While at work, ScotRail employees Lorna Bathgate and Charlie Algeo were approached by members of the public who had seen someone collapse.

The pair both rushed to the aid of this individual. Ms Bathgate quickly realised the person was not breathing and began to give CPR compressions, while Mr Algeo retrieved the station’s Automated External Defibrillator (AED).

While on the phone with the emergency services, Ms Bathgate used the defibrillator in an attempt to resuscitate their colleague.

The pair then took turns to give CPR compressions, with help from members of the public, until paramedics arrived.

The person was breathing again when the paramedics arrived - just 20 minutes after first collapsing. They are now recovering well with no signs of permanent damage.

David Lister, ScotRail Safety, Engineering & Sustainability Director, said: “What started as a normal day heading in to work for one person quickly turned into a horrible nightmare which, thankfully, has had a positive ending.

The workers used the station’s defibrillator

“In an emergency, a defibrillator can be the difference between life and death, and that’s been proven true. It’s why we’ve made sure we have them at many of our busier stations across the country.

“The railway is often described as a family, and while they may not have known at the time, Lorna and Charlie’s actions helped keep that railway family together - they are a credit to ScotRail and I could not be prouder of them.”

An Automated External Defibrillator (AED) or defibrillator is a device that can help save the life of someone experiencing a sudden cardiac arrest. They are easy to use, portable, with clear step-by-step instructions so anyone can use them, from a bystander to a trained professional.

More than 30 life-saving defibrillators been installed at railway stations across Scotland since 2018.

An Edinburgh man, whose life was saved by the device when he went into sudden cardiac arrest in 2015, recently donated his seventh defibrillator to the city.

Working with charity St John Scotland since 2017, the father-of-two has raised close to £10,000 to provide Public Access Defibrillators across the Capital.