Quick-thinking staff and customers at an Annan pub have been praised for helping to save a man’s life. Thirty-eight-year-old Steven Lucas collapsed in the Blue Bell Inn on Saturday night after suffering a cardiac arrest.
Customers and staff sprang into action to give emergency first aid while they waited for an ambulance to arrive. A defibrillator machine was rushed to the pub and used on Steven as he lay on the floor.
He was later taken to Dumfries Infirmary and is now well on the road to recovery. Steven’s dad John said: “We can’t thank everybody who was involved enough. Steven’s doing absolutely amazing considering four days ago he was on a ventilator. I’ve spoken to at least three different consultants and all the praise goes to the people at the Blue Bell and everyone who helped.
"If it wasn’t for those people in the Blue Bell we’ve been told he wouldn’t be here. It’s all down to those people and the defibrillator. That defib is vital in this story. The people who were there on that night we just can’t thank them enough. They are amazing people.”
Street sweeper Steven, from Eastriggs, had popped in to the pub for a drink at around 8.30pm when he took ill. Barmaid Chani Irving and customer Andrew Emmerson immediately leapt to his aid.
Chani said: “I don’t think he was even in the pub for two minutes before he collapsed. Andrew and I went round, Andrew phoned 999 and handed me the phone as he was talked through CPR because Steven was in a bad way and David Walker went to go and get a defibrillator.
“An off duty nurse, Sharon Montgomery, heard David getting the defib and followed in and CPR continued and Steven was shocked twice. CPR continued until the paramedics came. It was quite a night and quite a shift but I’m just so pleased he’s doing okay.”
Leah Lockhart and Abbey Course, receptionists at Greencroft Medical Centre South in the town helped David access the defibrillator.
Abbey said: “We were just on the High Street and saw a man running for the defibrillator and asked if he wanted some help. We’ve been called heroes all the time at work. It’s nice to be appreciated.”
Leah said: “I think everybody was in the right place at the right time. It’s good to know that he’s doing okay.”
Community defibrillator fundraiser John Steel highlighted the impact of the life-saving devices. He said: “That’s twice now that’s been proven defibrillators are very important. It’s seven years since we started fundraising to get one in Annan and now there’s seven. We said at the start if it ever saved one life it would be worth it.”
Steven was taken off his ventilator earlier this week and is due to be fitted with a pacemaker as the family set about thanking those involved.
John, 58, added: “We’ve spoken to a couple of people who were involved so far and we’ll track everyone down. But it’s impossible to thank those people. I don’t know if they appreciate what they’ve done but we could never thank them enough. He’s being transferred to Glasgow for a pacemaker but he’s made a remarkable recovery. They can hardly believe the turnaround at the hospital.
“The biggest concern has been with his heart not beating how long was the brain starved of oxygen and blood but it seems, again by the action of these people, his heart hasn’t stopped for very long.
“The consultant told me he had a remarkable 72 hour turnaround. There’s a lot of doom and gloom out there but it’s nice to have a happy ending to this story.”
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