'I'm no hero but extra five minutes may have saved his life' – ScotRail explores option of defibs on trains after far north line death
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A push to have lifesaving defibrillators sited on far north trains and/or stations has taken a step forward after the issue was highlighted in the John O'Groat Journal.
Watten accountant Richard Otley was travelling on the Inverness to Wick train on June 5 when he attempted to resuscitate a dying man with CPR but unfortunately failed. In the article, published in the Groat on July 14, Mr Otley sent out a plea for the heart starting devices to be placed on trains and in north Highland stations after it was revealed that, after Inverness, there is only one positioned at Dingwall station and none on the trains.
Related article:
Watten man's fight to save life of passenger – 'Why don't they have defibrillators on the train?'
"On the far north line it would seem wholly reasonable, logical and time efficient, given the greater distances and unique isolation from medical services compared with other regions of Scotland, to prioritise and install difibs and emergency first aid medical equipment within each of the trains operating on the line," said Mr Otley. "Secondary consideration should be given to stations, where a defibrillator does not already exist in proximity to a small rural community, that is served by station."
ScotRail said it had considered installing defibrillators on board its trains during the previous franchise but that "funding was not available" to implement this. The train operator says it is open to exploring this option again.
There are currently 56 stations across Scotland’s railway, including Dingwall and Inverness, that have defibrillators installed. Of these, 46 locations have been installed by ScotRail with a further two station defibrillators installed by Network Rail. The remaining six locations with devices installed were provided by either community donations or in partnership with ScotRail. On the ScotRail network map, there is a defibrillator symbol on only two stations out of the 26 on the Inverness to Thurso route, namely Inverness and Dingwall.
Ben Doran, ScotRail head of safety risk and assurance, said: “We thank Mr Otley for his actions on 5 June – he did everything he could in what were distressing circumstances.
“In an emergency, a defibrillator can make the difference, which is why we have them installed at more than 50 stations across the country and we will explore the option, if funding could be identified, for fitting defibrillators on our trains.”
Mr Otley worked for over 40 minutes to try and resuscitate the man who had taken ill shortly after the evening train had left Inverness on its journey north. Drills learned from army training, helped him move the casualty into a better space so he could start CPR work effectively. "I checked his airways and started CPR. The guard was in contact with the British Transport Police by this time and it was arranged that the ambulance would meet us at Dingwall station. I carried on CPR until we got there and the gentleman was moved onto a trolley. He was prepared to be shocked [with a defibrillator] but unfortunately he was deceased and sadly my efforts were in vain."
Mr Otley stated that he is no hero and only acted according to his training. The train terminated at Dingwall where the man was removed and eventually declared to be deceased by a doctor. Mr Otley questions the decision to let passengers on and off at the stop before Dingwall (Conon Bridge) as he was still working on the dying man who was lying in the corridor and the extra five minutes or so "may have saved his life".
He added: "While giving CPR, I clearly recall asking the guard, when we stopped, how many more stops to Dingwall as I was calculating the time. This underlines the benefits of first aid equipment on the far north line trains."
Iain Budd, convenor of a rail improvement pressure group called Friends of the Far North Line, said he was talking with a ScotRail manager about the issue this week. "On the face of it, a defibrillator on every train seems sensible," he told the paper. "I understand they are very expensive and there may be more to them in terms of maintenance and checking than meets the eye.
"If they are affordable it would certainly make sense to have them on the far north and Kyle line trains, as well as the other rural routes in Scotland where the trains are so far from immediate medical help."
Jan McEwan, Wick and East Caithness councillor, said: "I believe Scotrail should have a defibrillator on the Inverness to Wick train as part of their first aid equipment.
"This is a four-and-a-half hour journey in some of the remotest parts of Scotland whereby it would take the emergency services, if they could be contactable, a long time to reach one of the remote stations this train passes through. From age 13, I was a member of the Red Cross until it disbanded in Wick a few years ago. I was trained in CPR and full marks to Mr Otley for administering it but in this day and age a defib might have saved the man."
