Holmfirth firefighters are true lifesavers

May 26 2009 by Katie Grant, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Holmfirth firefighters go above and beyond the call of duty to save man’s life

HEROIC firefighters went “above and beyond” the call of duty to save a man’s life.

Derek Stokes, 58, collapsed on the pavement 100 metres from Holmfirth fire station and might have had only a few minutes to live.

He was struck down by a cardiac arrhythmia and his heart had stopped beating.

Thankfully, quick-thinking members of the public and Holmfirth firefighters were on the scene in seconds.

Last week crew manager Frank van Rooyen and firefighters Gareth Overend, Chris Lunn and Jamie Vince were presented with the fire service district manager’s commendation.

They were also reunited with a thankful and fully-recovered Mr Stokes, who travelled all the way from Essex for the presentation.

Mr Stokes said “I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.”

The father-of-one told the Examiner he works at Bridge Mills several days a week and was on the way to buy a sandwich when he collapsed on April 15.

He said: “I was just walking along with my hands in my pockets and I just dropped and fell flat on my face.”

He added that he had felt no pain or dizziness and it all happened in an instant.

“I was told that thankfully a couple in a car saw me,” he said.

“They pulled over another car for help and thankfully a man called Matthew Weatherburn was in it.

“He knew what to do and put me in the recovery position while someone ran to the fire station.”