Off-duty Skegnesss firefighter commended after saving man in cardiac arrest

An off-duty Lincolnshire firefighter who saved the life of a 70-year-old man in Skegness has received a top commendation.
CFO Mark Baxter, John and Josephine Clark and  Kyle Campbell at Skegness Fire StationCFO Mark Baxter, John and Josephine Clark and  Kyle Campbell at Skegness Fire Station
CFO Mark Baxter, John and Josephine Clark and Kyle Campbell at Skegness Fire Station

Kyle Campbell was out running near Gibraltar Point when he came across the man who had suffered a hear attack in a particularly remote area at least a mile from a road.

John Clark and his wife had been out walking for a couple of miles and had only seen two people that morning. He suffered cardiac arrest after feeling faint and sitting down at lunchtime.

By pure chance, Kyle was in just the right place, at the right time. Mr Clark was not breathing and had no pulse so Kyle began CPR, continuing for around 30 minutes and getting a pulse back on three separate occasions before the arrival of paramedics.

At the same time, he kept Mrs Clark calm and they requested an Air Ambulance using the What3Words app to pinpoint the exact rural location. Mr Clark was helicoptered to hospital where, after surgery he made a full recovery.

John and his wife, Josephine, recently visited Skegness fire station to meet the crew and pass on their personal thanks to Kyle.

Chief Fire Officer, Mark Baxter, said: “Kyle has shown what a valuable asset our firefighters are in their communities. His quick thinking, calm actions and medical training have undoubtedly saved John’s life.”

Coun Lindsey Cawrey, executive councillor for Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue, said: “We are so proud of Kyle and the actions he took that day.

"The CFO commendation is a well-deserved award for recognition of his efforts, but more importantly, Mr Clark is alive to tell the tale because of Kyle.”

Kyle will receive the Chief Fire Officer’s CPO award at the Long Service and Good Conduct ceremony, which takes place later this year.

John Clark, said: “It was pure chance that Kyle came jogging by - no one else was in the vicinity. I am of course, so grateful to Kyle, East Midlands Ambulance Service and the Air Ambulance for everything they did. By another coincidence, my father Harold Clark served as a firefighter at Skegness from 1946 to 1971, and I know he would thank Kyle too.”