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 First Minister to Brave@Heart award winners: ‘your selflessness, compassion and courage is inspiring’ 

Twenty-four extraordinary people will be commended for their courage at a special celebration at Edinburgh Castle hosted by the First Minister tonight (October 7).

The Brave@Heart awards recognises and celebrates acts of bravery by staff of the blue-light services, voluntary sector rescue organisations and members of the public nominated by these bodies. The 2014 awards acknowledge fearless, selfless action in the face of house fires, dog attacks, tending to distressed individuals, road traffic incidents and the Clutha Vaults tragedy.

Among the recipients of the fifth Brave@Heart awards are Shadiya Chaib who was on holiday from Australia when she saved a woman from jumping off the Dean Bridge, 16 year old Shona Chalmers nominated by St. Andrew’s First Aid, and Constable Garrett Hughes from Prestonpans who rescued a distressed 14 year old girl from committing suicide. There will also be two separate Brave@Heart awards for responders to the Clutha Vaults tragedy of last November.

In total, 42 nominations were received. The independent validation panel chose 24 of those to receive Brave@Heart awards, of these 20 were professionals and four were members of the public.

At the reception this evening, the First Minister will say:

“The individual acts we’re marking tonight are exceptional and they are worthy of special recognition. However, they are also examples of solidarity, of concern for our neighbours, which runs deep in our communities.

“That same spirit is displayed daily by our emergency services and by voluntary sector rescue organisations, such as the St Andrew’s First Aid, Red Cross, the Mountain Rescue and the Royal National Lifeboat Institute. It is also shown, every day, by members of the public all across the country.

“It’s extraordinary to hear first-hand about the emotions, the events, the incredible strength of character – selfless acts that are the very difference between life and death. Scotland should be proud of its heroes and recognise their achievements.

"It’s vital for us to cherish and encourage that solidarity and concern. That’s why the Brave@Heart awards are so important.

“Tonight is an opportunity for the Scottish Government to say “thank you”. And to the Brave@Heart recipients, and indeed all those who were nominated, your selflessness, your compassion and your courage is inspiring, and are an example to us all.”

Shadiya Chaib who has travelled from Melbourne, Australia to receive her reward after saving a woman from committing suicide from Edinburgh’s Dean Bridge, said:

“It’s never something you can prepare yourself for. My instincts kicked in and all I could focus on was stopping this woman from jumping. I’m so happy to be back in Edinburgh, which feels like my second home, and it is a real honour to receive such an award, especially with my family being here.”

Brave@Heart 2014 panel chair, Lindsay Burley said:

“I was delighted to be involved in this year’s Brave@Heart event. It has been a great privilege to chair the judging panel and to see the incredible lengths that our colleagues in the police, ambulance and fire services will go to in order to rescue people and to save lives. And of course, there are heroic members of the public too. It has been a humbling and uplifting experience.”

Brave@Heart 2014 recipients

Constable Cameron Morton, Dumbarton Police Station (Police Scotland)

Constable Cameron Morton attended a top floor flat fire while on patrol alone. Despite the thick black smoke issuing from the building, Morton immediately entered the building and made his way upstairs without fear of his own safety. He located the elderly resident who was suffering from smoke inhalation and after rescuing him from the building, confirmed no others in the building. Thanks to the prompt and decisive actions of this brave constable the elderly gentleman was able to make a full recovery.

Constable John Waters, Giffnock Police Station (Police Scotland)

Constable John Waters responded to a report of a 13 year boy being attacked by an Akita dog, and trapped within the living room of a friend’s house. The boy’s arm was already severely bitten and bleeding and the dog was standing over him. Assessing the immediate danger to the boy Constable Waters repeatedly distracted the dog so the frightened boy could escape. The dog was contained in the living room until a vet could attend. Waters’ courage and determination saved the boy from a potentially catastrophic attack.

Constable Duncan Webster, Constable Peter Lorrain-Smith, Pitlochry Police Station (Police Scotland); Paramedic Malcolm Auchie, Killin Depot, (Scottish Ambulance Service)

Constables Duncan Webster and Peter Lorrain-Smith attended a male claiming to have overdosed and threatening to commit suicide in Loch Rannoch. When the man resisted engagement, both constables removed stab vests and utility belts in preparation for a rescue. One kept talking while the other maintained contact with the control room to arrange rescue equipment. Local Paramedic Malcolm Auchie arrived on scene and joined efforts, while the male moved into deeper water. Despite the treacherous loch bed shelves and low water temperature one constable entered the loch. The male, now shoulder deep, lost footing and was having difficulty keeping his head above water. All three responders then entered the Loch where the male was eventually restrained and rescued. Webster, Lorrain-Smith and Auchie displayed resourcefulness, bravery and professionalism to save the life of a vulnerable man.

Constable Steven Callaghan and Constable Barry Connor, Ayr Police Station (Police Scotland)

While firefighters attended a building on fire, constables Steven Callaghan and Barry Connor entered the adjoining building to evacuate residents. The elderly resident of the top flat required a stair lift, however, the power had failed making it unusable. Fire from the adjacent property was now moving rapidly through the loft space causing a sky light to explode with flames blocking their escape route. Appraising colleagues of their situation via radio, firefighters wearing breathing apparatus assisted the two officers in the rescue. These two constables put the welfare of the elderly lady before their own, with their prompt and fearless intervention.

Constable John Andrews, Constable Lewis Dalgetty, Temporary Sergeant Keith Scott and Constable Keith Tulloch, Craigmillar Police Station (Police Scotland)

Constables John Andrews, Lewis Dalgetty, Keith Scott and Keith Tulloch responded to a frantic 999 call. Thick smoke was billowing from a 4th floor flat in a common stair serving 16 flats. Officers entered the stairwell to evacuate residents while providing essential control-room updates on the situation. Officers were eventually forced to withdraw due to smoke when fire-fighters arrived on scene. Three officers were taken to hospital for smoke inhalation. There is no doubt that without the considerable bravery of these four that several of the residents would not have been successfully evacuated.

Constable Garrett Hughes, Prestonpans Police Station (Police Scotland)

Constable Garrett Hughes responded a distressed 14 year old girl who entered the sea at Prestonpans with the intention of committing suicide. Despite December weather and rough sea conditions, Hughes swam out to her. Reaching her 20 metres from shore he discovered she was already unconscious, her face partially submerged and icy cold to the touch. Hughes got the girl back to shore where medical staff said if the girl had remained in the water even for a few minutes more the outcome might have been tragic. Constable Hughes displayed strength, determination and bravery to save the life of a vulnerable young woman.

Special Constable Scott Costley, Dumfries Police Station, (Police Scotland)

Special Constable Scott Costley was on foot patrol when a passing motorist reported a young female was about to jump from the Cree Bridge. Finding the woman already hanging by both hands, Costley grabbed her wrists and held fast despite her struggling and continually saying she wanted to end her life. Support arrived on scene and they managed to hoist the young woman to safety. The swift actions of this special constable, despite the real risk to himself, stopped this young woman from jumping or falling into the river, with potentially fatal consequences.

Constable Tonianne Ewart, Baird Street Police Station (Police Scotland)

Constable Tonianne Ewart arrived at a Glasgow multi-storey car park where a man, was threatening to jump from the top floor. As officers reached the man he suddenly pushed himself from the ledge. Without consideration for her own safety Ewart grabbed the man’s clothing and held on. To get a better grip of the approx. 6’4’’, 18 stones man, she stretched over the barrier causing her feet to leave the ground. More officers arrived and pulled the man and Ewart to safety. Thanks to her high level of fitness, bravery and determination PC Ewart prevented this man from taking his own life.

Roy Benson, Bridge of Earn and Robin Donald Rennie, Perth (Police Scotland)

A man armed with a knife entered the shop of newsagent Roy Benson while he was chatting to Robin Rennie who had just delivered produce, demanding money and alcohol. Benson grabbed the man’s arm and at the same time activated a personal attack alarm. Rennie also grabbed the man and despite struggles and lashing out, the two men maintained a hold and managed to throw the large kitchen knife out of the man’s reach. These two men showed tremendous courage in tackling an aggressive, armed man and their actions ensured that a dangerous criminal was detained.

Stuart Frew, Greenrigg

Stuart Frew was alerted to a fire in a nearby house and immediately ran to the house where he found the elderly resident had been making chips in a chip pan that had burst into flames. After dragging the resident to safety, Stuart re-entered the property and extinguished the flames by placing a jacket over the pan and then carrying the pan from the house out into the garden. The resident was suffering from serious smoke inhalation and the kitchen had sustained major damage but Stuart’s bravery and coolness in a crisis prevented this incident from turning into a tragedy.

Shadiya Chaib, Australia

Australian visitor, Shadiya Chaib, was crossing the Dean Bridge when she came across a distressed woman who had climbed over the bridge wall to commit suicide. Without any thought for her own personal safety Shadiya ran towards the woman. Despite violent struggles in an effort to break loose and kill herself, Shadiya held tight to the woman until passers-by assisted her. Together they managed to haul the woman to safety and the emergency services were summoned. There is no doubt that Shadiya’s speed of thought and efforts saved this woman from falling over 100ft resulting in a potential fatality.

Crew Manager David Millward, Kilmelford and Firefighter Gareth Strang, Carradale (Scottish Fire and Rescue Service)

Off-duty firefighters, Millward and Strang came upon two cars that crashed head on with a casualty trapped in each car. The two firefighters briefed Fire Control and tasked passers-by with ensuring stopped traffic left enough room for oncoming emergency services. Signs from the unconscious female casualty indicated her airway was compromised, a potentially life threatening injury. They managed the casualty’s head until she was extracted once support arrived and transported by air to intensive care. In the opinion of the air ambulance doctor, the woman would have died at the scene had it not been for the life-saving actions of these two firefighters.

Watch Manager Stuart English, Paisley (Scottish Fire and Rescue Service)

Watch Manager Stuart English was off duty and relaxing in the Clutha Vaults Bar in Glasgow when the helicopter came crashing through the roof. Stuart managed to get out but re-entered with a group of members of the public attempting to locate and rescue those trapped and injured. Stuart lifted fallen debris including the bar gantry which enabled others to release a trapped person. This nominee, among a group of members of the public, showed courage, determination and strength of character during this selfless act of bravery.

Paramedic Paul Stewart and Ambulance Technician Jacquelyn Donald, Glasgow (Scottish Ambulance Service)

Paramedic Paul Stewart and ambulance technician Jacqueline Donald, arrived in less than one minute after the Clutha Vaults helicopter crash to find a chaotic scene with people trying to escape with others trying help the injured. They briefed Scottish Ambulance Service on-scene to be prepared to cope with casualties. Without consideration for their own safety, they entered the building which was in darkness and filled with dust and debris. The risks of fire, explosion and collapse were present but they providing medical assistance while relaying information to their control room to allow the best response to be made to the disaster.

Shona Chalmers, Bonnyrigg (St. Andrew’s First Aid)

16 year old Shona was on her way to First Aid training with her mother one evening when they witnessed an elderly man being hit by a car. While her mother attended to the casualty, Shona calmly took charge of directing traffic around the incident to protect her mother and the casualty, and managed onlookers to prevent them spilling onto the road. Members of the public repeatedly told Shona to move the man onto his side, but knowing that this could potentially cause further problems, she resisted this pressure and remained calm. Shona showed calm determination and maturity beyond her years to assist the elderly casualty and ensure the safety of members of the public.

Notes To Editors

The first Brave@Heart annual reception was held in June 2010. Emergency services – police, fire and ambulance - and other emergency responders in the public and voluntary sectors have been invited to nominate members of their profession/organisations and members of the public.

The validation panel that considered nominations consisted of a representative from Police Scotland, The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and the Scottish Ambulance Service. The panel was chaired by Dr Lindsay Burley CBE, Chair, NHS Education for Scotland.

In total 42 nominations were received. 34 were for members of the emergency services and 8 were for members of the public. 24 people were selected by the independent validation panel to receive Brave@Heart awards, of these 20 were professionals and 4 were members of the public