Author: davepickering

Edinburgh reporter and photographer

Baby named after Scottish Ambulance Service heroine

 A couple have named their newborn child after the Scottish Ambulance Service emergency responder who helped with the baby’s delivery.

Phill and Michelle Douglas have given their daughter Ashley the middle name Rachel, as thanks to technician Rachel Mackie, who was dispatched from Arrochar station.

The Garelochhead mum and dad were at home when Michelle started having contractions. Phill, a firefighter, made an emergency call and an ambulance was quickly dispatched. Worrying he might have to deliver the baby himself, the call taker kept him on the phone, ready to give him expert instructions in the event the baby appeared.

Rachel and paramedic Darren McCormick arrived at the couple’s home soon afterwards. The couple’s other children, Kyle, six, and Ayden, three, were looked after by a family member.

“They started taking us to the Royal Alexandra Hospital, in Paisley. They thought we would get there comfortably,” said Phill.

However, the ambulance only got as far as Helensburgh before it was obvious the baby was going to make an early appearance.

He added: “Rachel was in the back of the ambulance looking after Michelle. She asked Darren to pull over because the baby’s head was out. Darren pulled over – incredibly, right across the road from Victoria Hall, where we’d got married.

“They were both amazing and just made the birth perfect. Not only do they save lives, they help bring them into the world.

“This is something we will never forget. Everyone was amazing, I cannot fault them at all.”

On deciding to give their baby the name Rachel, Phill explained: “We did not know what her first name or middle name would be. It just fitted.”

Rachel, who has been with SAS for 11 years, described the family’s gesture as an “honour”. She also added it was her first time delivering a child.

“We were notified of a red call; a woman was pregnant but we did not know the birth was imminent,” said Rachel.

“They got in the back of the ambulance and we thought we’d make it to Paisley, but after about 10 minutes, we saw that the baby was coming.

“It was a brilliant first experience for me – I could not get a better experience. I’ve been a technician for 11 years, and never managed a delivery yet – it was Darren’s ninth.”

On the couple naming the child after her, she said: “It was an honour and a privilege. A fantastic experience. I will always remember this  – it made quite an impact!”

£4 million Social Economy Growth funding for community projects

Projects around the country supporting local action to address poverty and social exclusion are to share £4 million of funding. Among them are North-Edinburgh based North Edinburgh Arts, Muirhouse Youth Development Group (MYDG) and Leith’s Saheliya. Continue reading £4 million Social Economy Growth funding for community projects

A committed collaboration: 100,000 Scots on UK stem cell register

  • Over 20,000 of the 172,000 new stem cell donors added to the UK stem cell register in 2017 were from Scotland 
  • The total number of people on the register at the end of 2017 is 1.4 million 
  • Over 2,200 searches for donors for lifesaving transplants were made 

More than 20,000 Scots registered to become stem cell donors in 2017, bringing the total number of people from the country to 104,974, latest figures have revealed. Continue reading A committed collaboration: 100,000 Scots on UK stem cell register

Uber launches Comedy Car with top comedian for Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Comedy lovers at this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe will be able to book a free intimate gig with Live at the Apollo and Have I got News for you star, Andrew Maxwell… in the back of a car! Continue reading Uber launches Comedy Car with top comedian for Edinburgh Festival Fringe

CO Be Alarmed – Be Careful with BBQs this summer

Be Careful with BBQs this summer

  • Three quarters (75%) of people are unaware of the potentially fatal risk of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning from barbecues.
  • Two thirds (70%) wouldn’t suspect CO poisoning if they experienced headaches, dizziness or nausea after a barbeque.
  • In Scotland, around eight in ten (83%) are unaware of carbon monoxide poisoning as a potential risk from barbecues, with only one in seven (14%) being aware in Edinburgh and one in five (19%) aware in Glasgow.

As the UK’s scorching temperatures continue through July, new research from the CO Be Alarmed! campaign – published today – reveals that millions of Britons could be at risk this summer because three quarters of them don’t know that barbecues can lead to CO poisoning when not used correctly.

In addition, the research also shows that, worryingly, most people would fail to identify the symptoms of CO poisoning.

Nearly half of Britons are planning to have a barbecue this summer but, despite the potentially fatal consequences of CO poisoning, people are more aware of other risks such as burns, food poisoning and accidents with barbeque implements.

CO Be Alarmed! has come up with these easy to follow steps on how to stay CO Safe this summer:

  • Don’t bring your barbeque into an enclosed space – for example inside a tent or your home. Even when extinguished it will still produce fumes for some time.
  • Always make sure you are in a well-ventilated area when using a barbecue or a gas stove and follow the manufacturers’ safety instructions.
  • If camping, make sure you have an audible carbon monoxide alarm which you can get from DIY stores, high street shops and online.
  • Carbon monoxide is known as the ‘silent killer’ because you can’t see it, smell it or taste it, so make sure you know the symptoms – headaches, dizziness, nausea.

Abbie Sampson, Director of External Affairs at Energy UK and CO Be Alarmed! spokesperson, said: “In this glorious summer weather, it is scary that three quarters of people are not aware of the dangers of carbon monoxide when using a barbecue.

“It is very simple to stay safe from carbon monoxide this summer. Just make sure you use the barbecue in a well-ventilated area and never take it inside your house or tent – even when it is extinguished it could still produce fumes.”

Nichola Ashby, Professional Lead for Education at the Royal College of Nursing said: “If you’ve been sitting round a barbecue in an enclosed space such a tent or garage and get an unexplained headache, sickness or feel unusually sleepy or drowsy, move into the open air immediately and to breathe fresh air. 

If the symptoms persist, seek medical assistance and explain that you may have been exposed to carbon monoxide poisoning. The condition can be difficult for healthcare professionals to diagnose, so the more information you or friends and family can give them, the better”.

The survey reveals that burns (65%), food poisoning (62%), accidental fires (56%), accidents with barbeque implements (36%), alcohol related accidents (33%) all came above carbon monoxide poisoning (25%) in people’s awareness of the potential risks from barbecues. If suffering the symptoms of CO poisoning, 38% of people would think they had food poisoning and 31% sunstroke.