Over two months of preparation meant Scrabster Superintendent Colin Mackay was ready for his best Fish Friday ever. The Fishermen’s Mission National Fundraising Day would once again be a roaring success in North East Scotland. All the plans were made, what could possibly go wrong? As Fish Friday 2017 began this July
Colin Mackay’s mobile burst into life. Two fishermen were seriously injured on board their boats. The Fishermen’s
Mission emergency response was launched.
News was received of a Spanish fisherman who had severely damaged
his eye with a fish hook and another with a badly injured thumb where serious infection had taken hold. Frantic phone calls to volunteers to man the fort were made and Colin sped off to Scrabster Harbour. Both casualties were met by Colin and taken to the A&E department at Caithness General hospital. Neither spoke any English, both were anxious, frightened, and in agony. Colin used a translation service, via his Fishermen’s
Mission mobile phone, to talk to the injured fishermen and to reassure them that treatment would soon be underway.
The fisherman with the injured hand was treated immediately and after a short recovery period in hospital he returned to his boat.
The situation for the fisherman with the injured eye was not so straightforward. The battle was on to save his sight. More specialist treatment was required so Colin drove the fisherman to Raigmore Hospital, Inverness. Colin once again assisted the medical team with translation duties.
Thankfully the treatment was successful and one relieved Spanish fisherman with a sore eye was eventually returned to his boat.
After a day when his services required travelling 400 miles, Colin just had time to thank his Fish Friday volunteers for raising nearly £2,000 before heading off to the remaining appointment in his diary for that day…a wedding reception! Colin’s lateness on this occasion was excused!
Your support provided Colin with a phone, access to a translation service, a car, as well as the time and local knowledge to save a fisherman’s eyesight. When emergency strikes, we are there for our fishermen. Your help and your help alone makes that possible.
