M oney means nothing, what price can you put on a comrade’s life?
Former firefighter on life-saving legacy of device invented in his kitchen
– Former firefighter John Jamieson
John Jamieson knows his invention could have earned him a fortune. His device, which sounded an alarm if a firefighter became trapped in a burning building might have, if patented, transformed his life. But John, 76, does not care and said the satisfaction of knowing his gadget helped save lives was enough reward.
John, a retired firefighter, from Yoker, West Dunbartonshire, devised the gadget, called the Strathclyde, which was used by firefighters in the west of Scotland during the 1980s.
Nowadays, officers wear a similar device called The Bodyguard which, although different, uses the same principles, sounding an alarm whenever it senses the wearer is not moving.
Experts said the devices have saved countless lives worldwide but making money was never John’s motivation.
John, 76, said: “People ask if I made a fortune from it but I never had the money to patent it. I had a wife and four children to keep as well as a mortgage and wages were low in those days.
“But I don’t miss the money I could have made.
“My reward is knowing that I have helped save the lives of fellow firefighters all over the world. “That’s worth more.”
John was inspired to create the device, also called a distress signal unit, after the loss of a colleague in a TV studio tragedy.
Archie Mclay died after becoming trapped in the basement during a blaze at STV’S premises in Hope Street, Glasgow, in 1979. The dad, 35, fell through a trapdoor into a flooded basement and ran out of oxygen.
He left two daughters, Margo and Irene, and a wife, Margaret. Margo, 62, who stays in Newton Mearns on the outskirts of Glasgow, said: “We were devastated to lose dad at a fire. It was awful the way he died, trapped in a fire.
“John’s device is a lovely legacy to dad.
“At least some good came out of his death.”
John said it took months to develop a prototype of the device. He worked at his kitchen table on days off, trialling tiny ball-bearings to trigger alarms.
It had to be lightweight, fireproof and waterproof. People told him it was impossible to invent a wearable gadget which would work.
He said: “Archie’s death had such an effect on me. I saw an engineer on TV talking about gadgets he made for disabled people. I contacted him and he took it forward.”
The Strathclyde was a hand-sized metal and rubber cylinder attached to a harness worn by firefighters on their shoulders.
The modern Bodyguard is match-box sized and attached to breathing apparatus.
It monitors constantly and sends signals back to a control panel. John, who was inducted to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Heritage Trust’s hall of fame and received the British Empire Medal for his achievement, was hailed by colleagues.
Brian Sweeney, retired fire chief with the former Strathclyde Fire Brigade, said: “John Jamieson’s concept of monitoring firefighters while moving has gone on to save dozens of lives every year.
“He was the first to come up with a device.
“His original device was developed and updated as new technology brought in more modern ways of tracking firefighters.
“It’s true to say that 37 years after his original device was launched the concept is still saving lives.
“He put Strathclyde and indeed Scotland on the map.” Assistant chief officer Lewis Ramsay said: “We are grateful to innovators such as John Jamieson.
“His ideas and insights have contributed to keeping firefighters safe in the most challenging environments.”