12:40pm Friday 12th June 2009
By Miriam Phillips
A PARAMEDIC who was rescued from a burning flat has had his favourite stethoscope replaced after his was destroyed in the blaze.
James Ryan, 29, had a lucky escape last month when he was dramatically rescued by firefighters from a flat in Weymouth after a lit cigarette caused an oxygen cylinder to ignite, trapping him in a room.
After being trapped in a bathroom without an air supply Weymouth firefighters pulled him out of the burning flat.
James, 29, of Weymouth, came away from the incident suffering from smoke inhalation but did not suffer any other injury.
Now he has been presented a specially engraved new stethoscope funded by the South Western Ambulance NHS Trust and medical supply company Medicare in Weymouth.
Senior ambulance officer Adrian South said: “Replacing James’s stethoscope was the least the trust could do. As soon as I found out that his stethoscope had gone we decided to help.”
James said he was really pleased to get a stethoscope back and said it will definitely be put to good use.
He said:“It’s a vital piece of kit and I wouldn’t be able to work without it.
“I was sad to lose my old one so it’s great to get another so quickly – I really do appreciate it.”
He added that his thoughts go out to the couple that lost all their belongings in the fire on Dorchester Road because of all the stress that they must have gone through.
Medicare logistics manager Matt Denton said: “When we heard what happened to James we just wanted to help so we contributed towards the stethoscope so that it could be engraved – we were pleased to help.”
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