17 February 2025
In a remarkable act of calmness and quick thinking, 39-year-old AA Patrol, Will Robertson, helped to save the life of an AA member in Maryport last Saturday.
The incident occurred when Will attended the broken-down vehicle of a local landscaper and AA member who has become familiar to the local patrols. After initial greetings, Will headed to his iconic yellow van to collect some tools. When he returned, he noticed that the gentleman was slumped across the steering wheel, unresponsive to Will’s questions and breathing in a laboured manner.
Will immediately called 999 to summon help, when, to his disbelief, an Ambulance came into view further down the road. Without hesitation, Will, wearing his AA issue reflective jacket, caught the attention of the Paramedic driving the ambulance and gestured for them to stop.
“AA patrols are renowned for fixing the member before the vehicle, and this was certainly the case for Will.”
Once stopped, the Paramedic team immediately checked the pulse of the AA member and found that he’d stopped breathing but wasn’t accessible enough for the Paramedic team to work on. With help from Will, the member was removed from his vehicle and placed on a stretcher at the roadside, where a defibrillator was used to restart his heart.
Once stabilised, the man was transported to West Cumberland Infirmary, where doctors confirmed that he had suffered a heart attack but were confident that he would recover from the episode over time. For Will, though, there was still work to do as he then needed to recover the now unaccompanied vehicle back to the owners’ home address, where he was met by the AA member’s partner, who was totally unaware of what had taken place earlier.
After breaking the news and comforting the partner, he helped her to arrange a lift to the infirmary with a close relative. He then unloaded the vehicle before continuing with his patrol duties.
AA Patrol, Will Robertson
AA Regional Manager, Chris Harrold, said: “AA patrols are renowned for fixing the member before the vehicle, and this was certainly the case for Will, on Saturday. His swift actions, and those of the passing Paramedic staff undoubtedly helped to save the life of this incredibly popular local man and we’re immensely proud of him.
“Will routinely applies his technical skills to fix more than eight out of 10 of the vehicles that he’s attends, but his people skills and the ability to do the right thing when needed also form a valuable part of his tool kit, and never more have they been called into action than on this occasion.”
Following this incident, Will has decided to learn more about CPR and other life-saving techniques by enrolling on an advanced First Aid course.