
Buckie RNLI volunteer helps save a life
Volunteer crew member, James Granitza helped members of the public save a man’s life following a road traffic accident.
On 24 July, James Granitza, Manager of the floor studio in Elgin, Moray and voluntary crew at Buckie RNLI was alerted to a car crashing into a lamppost outside of his shop. Going into autopilot using skills gained from his cardiac responder role and RNLI training, James ran out into the street to see how he could be of help.
Immediately noticing the casualty in the car had blue lips and pale skin he shouted at two bystanders to pull the man out of the car and start CPR. Thankfully the two bystanders were nurses and were able to perform this lifesaving skill while James ran to get a Public Accessible Defibrillator (PAD) mounted on a nearby shop.
Using the Keirans Legacy donated defibrillator, James and the nurses were able to administer a shock which helped save the man’s life.
James who joined the Buckie RNLI Lifeboat Station as a volunteer crew member in 2022, has been a Scottish Ambulance Service Wildcat Cardiac Responder since 2017.
James said ‘Having been a cardiac responder for the Scottish Ambulance Service for the past 7 years meant that reacting to the accident was like second nature, I just didn’t have to think about it, I just knew what to do. In all the years I have been volunteering for the coastguards, RNLI and wildcats I have never seen such an amazing outcome from something that could have so easily been a tragic loss of life. The man was up and about and talking to his family on the phone only minutes after his cardiac arrest, just incredible.’
James went on to say ‘Our Wildcat Cardiac Responders are soon to be trained as Community First Responders once we have raised the funds we need to establish the Buckie scheme, and I hope to be able to continue to help the community and save many more lives.
Anne Scott, Lifeboat Operations Manager at Buckie RNLI says: 'We are all incredibly proud of James here at Buckie RNLI. His commitment to volunteering not just for the RNLI but also as a Community First Responder is inspiring, showing his dedication to saving lives.'
Notes to editors
Buckie lifeboat station has been operating since 1860. To learn more about the lifeboat station go to: https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeboat-stations/buckie-lifeboat-station
RNLI media contacts
Lorna Cameron, Lifeboat Press Officer, [email protected]
Natasha Bennett, RNLI Regional Media Officer for Scotland, 07826 900639, [email protected]
Martin Macnamara, RNLI Regional Media Manager for Scotland, 07920 365929, [email protected]
RNLI Press Office, 01202 336789
Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 142,700 lives.
Learn more about the RNLI
For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.
Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries
Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.
Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives.
Learn more about the RNLI
For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.
Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries
Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.