South Yorkshire firefighter saves man's life at football match

An off-duty South Yorkshire firefighter is being called a hero - after she saved a football fan's life when he collapsed at a Leicester City match.

Caz Whiteman, who’s currently based at South Yorkshire Fire’s training centre, was watching the Champion's League clash at home to Sevilla on Tuesday night when a spectator suffered a suspected heart attack.

Caz, who was sat nearby, rushed to support pitch side first aiders and deliver CPR for more than 15 minutes until he was taken to hospital by ambulance.

The dad of three is now making a full recovery.

“My seats were just three rows from the front of the pitch and just as the teams were starting to come out for the second half, I noticed that a spectator was in difficulty,” says Caz.

“I came down to the front of the pitch to see what I could do to help and it became clear he had suffered a heart attack and gone into cardiac arrest. Along with the pitch side medics, I cleared his airway and immediately performed mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and chest compressions.

“This is where the skills I’ve picked up from my day job really came into their own. Firefighters already have the skills and knowledge to provide effective first responder care in emergency situations, particularly at incidents were we may arrive on scene before paramedics.

“My actions were a natural, instinctive reaction to the situation in front of me. Anyone with the right skills and training would have done the same thing. But I’m just so relieved that he has made it and I wish him well for a full recovery.”

Deputy Chief Fire Officer Martin Blunden, said: “I already know that we employ an incredible selection of individuals who perform brilliantly, day in, day out, to keep our communities safe.

“But Caz’s brilliant quick thinking and life-saving actions really did go above and beyond the call of duty and highlight that, in some ways, a firefighter is never ‘off duty’. The skills and training we give our crews stay with them for life, which this inspiring, life-saving story confirms.”