A HERO Greenock fire boss has told how he and his team saved a man's life after he'd been stabbed EIGHT times in an horrific attack in broad daylight.

Dave Adam and Greenock Fire Museum volunteers rushed to the aid of the 'hysterical' wounded victim who was covered in blood.

Greenock Telegraph:

Dave - who is chair of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Heritage Trust - was showcasing a vintage fire engine at a gala day attended by thousands of people when the man staggered through the crowd. 

He told the Telegraph: "There was blood oozing through his clothing. Someone had stabbed the guy in the liver, kidneys, lungs and spleen - all his vital organs.

"He must have been stabbed eight times. I know he had been attacked in his lungs because blood was bubbling out of his back.

"We tried to calm the man down, he was hysterical, we stemmed the blood coming from his lungs and keep pressure on the wounds.

"We were trying to keep back the crowds. The man's family were distraught."

Greenock Telegraph:

Dave's first aid, perfected over decades in the fire service, swung into action and the team put the man in the recovery position.

He said: "He started to lose consciousness, and having spent the best part of 40 years in the fire service I knew there was a real threat to his life.

"He had life-threatening injuries that were deteriorating and he needed immediate specialist medical attention."

Greenock Telegraph:

Dave and the team - who were at a gala day in Bathgate, West Lothian, stayed with the patient for ten minutes, with each team member taking turns to stem the various wounds with sterile dressings.

He said: "We were about to give him mouth to mouth, when the Scottish Ambulance Service arrived.

"One of the volunteers, Kai McFarlane, stood at the gate to help the ambulance through the crowds.

"The paramedics worked on him at the back of the ambulance and then a specialist team arrived and spent 30 minutes trying to stabilise him.

"He was taken by police escort to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary."

Greenock Telegraph:

Dave, who was group fire commander for Renfrewshire and Inverclyde before retiring, said they received feedback from A&E doctors that the team's actions had saved the man's life.

He said: "They said whoever did the initial first aid assisted in prolonging his life until he got to hospital.

"There was a good possibility he would have died in the park."

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Dave and the team Stanley Matthew, Ricky Wedlock, Andy Carson, Kai McFarlane and Andy Carson, have now been recognised for their lifesaving actions.

Ross Haggart, chief officer with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, visited the fire museum in Greenock to present commendation awards to the men in person.

Dave said: "We did what we had to do, it was a first aid incident and we did what we had to do in any first aid event.

"We feel humbled and honoured to be recipients of this award."

Chief officer Haggart said: "These men's actions are truly amazing. The team gave life-saving first aid and without their intervention this man would have lost his life."

The fire chief also praised the fire museum, saying: "I think it is an excellent facility. I have visited a couple of times before, it promotes the history of the fire service and is a great visitor attraction."