Staines firefighter saves man's life on holiday

May 15 2009 By Mark Goode

Staines Fire Station watch manager Nigel Wade

Staines fireman Nigel Wade showed he's never off duty after saving a life while on a scuba diving holiday.

The 51-year-old was in Indonesia three weeks to indulge his passion for underwater photography, when an unconscious diver was brought assure.

Nigel, who is watch manager at Staines Fire Station, quickly realised the man wasn't breathing and administered CPR.

He said: "I gave him the kiss of life and he started to fit, which is a sign of oxygen deprivation. But in three quarters of an hour he went from being unconscious to walking along the beach while he waited for an ambulance."

Nigel will celebrate 30 years with Surrey Fire and Rescue Service next year.

Speaking about his underwater photography hobby, he said: "I am a fireman, so what is a fireman's best friend? Water. But it is amazing what you see down there, it is like another world. It is also like inner space, and I love the feeling of weightlessness. I would also like to say it is peaceful and quiet but it is actually very noisy, as you hear the fish feeding.

"I'm also really interested in marine biology, but mainly I love fish."

Nigel, who is also a qualified scuba instructor, claims scuba diving is similar to firefighting as it requires breathing apparatus to be worn.

He added: "In both cases you have to have 100% confidence in your equipment. If you take your mask off underwater or in a smoke filled room you will die."

He said he started taking photos underwater because his wife is asthmatic and wasn't able to dive.

"She sometimes looked sad because she couldn't go, so I started taking pictures so I could share my experiences with her. After that it became a bit of an obsession," Nigel said.

He has written for fishing magazines, including Advanced Pole Fishing, and has been featured in Improve Your Course Fishing, and the Angling Times. And 16 years ago, Nigel even met his wife Karen while fishing.

To view Nigel's photography visit www.wadeimaging.com