Gavin's Story

Gavin (40) thought nothing of having a loose lithium battery in his pocket as he went about his work in the jewellery workshop in Orkney. It was one he had charged and kept spare for his vape.

But when the battery exploded in his front pocket, it marked the start of a terrifying and painful experience for Gavin which would see Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance (SCAA) called in to airlift him to vital mainland specialist hospital care for serious burns.

“I was just getting on with my work when I heard a hiss and felt something in my left jeans pocket,” he recalled. “I knew immediately it was something to do with the battery, but things happened so fast.

“There was a blast and a lot of heat, smoke and noise. I was running around in a panic swearing but didn’t know whether to use water or an extinguisher on it. I ran to the door and the battery rolled to the ground having burned through my pocket. I put some cold water on my thigh, but then the pain set in.

“The denim and the fabric of my boxer shorts had melted onto the wound, so I used a sharp knife to trim away the material and get a look at the wound,” he added. “It was pretty sore and obviously needed medical attention.”

Workmates helped Gavin place a burns gel pack on his leg and quickly drove him to the Balfour Hospital in Kirkwall – just 10 minutes away.

“I thought I would just get some cream and a telling off,” said Gavin, “but it turned out to be a lot more serious than that. At Accident and Emergency, I sat down and basically collapsed – I was in extreme pain.”

Gavin endured painful showers to try and rinse out the wound and pick pieces of melted fabric away. Hourly rinsing and cleaning revealed a finger-length wound, one and a half inches wide, plus searing across a large area where the pocket had been.

“They had me on painkillers pretty quickly, but I could see the severity of the wound as they worked on it,” he said.

And when doctors were able to get a clear look at the burn, they deemed it serious enough to send Gavin to a specialist burns and plastics unit at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.

SCAA was called in to ensure the journey was fast and comfortable, caring for Gavin throughout the hour-long helicopter flight. Having his pain managed by morphine meant he slept for a lot of the flight, waking as the helicopter approached Aberdeen.

“The crew were really reassuring – so professional yet so personal,” he said. “I knew I was in safe hands.

“It was a really emotional, overwhelming and painful experience and SCAA helped me relax. It didn’t feel like they were just doing a job – it felt more personal. They were there to help me and focussed on making sure I was calm and comfortable.

“I can’t imagine what getting to the mainland would have been like with any other form of transport,” said Gavin. “I was in professional paramedic hands all the way and they were so generous with their care and attention. They even shared their sweeties.”

At Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, Gavin underwent painstaking skin grafting to help heal his wound. Fortunately, there was no muscle damage so he’s confident of a full recovery – albeit with permanent scarring.

“I know of SCAA and the life-saving work they do – especially for island and remote communities like mine,” he explained. “They may not have played a life-saving role in my case but their support meant the world to me and I know it made a huge difference to my well-being during a worrying stage in my life.

“I can’t thank them enough for being there for me. You can’t really appreciate the amazing work they do until you or your loved ones are personally involved.

“We’re so lucky to have a charity like SCAA in Scotland. It’s reassuring for everyone to know that if the situation is critical or life-threatening, SCAA could be there to save your bacon.”

SCAA’s involvement in his Dad’s care following the freak accident prompted Gavin’s nine-year-old son Caleb and his pal to stage a 20-mile sponsored cycle, raising nearly seven thousand pounds in support of the air ambulance charity.