Glasgow firefighter dies after mental health battle

Douglas 'Dougie' Naismith, 63, died on March 11 last year after an ongoing mental health battle that his family say was exacerbated after he survived the Clutha tragedy in November 2013.

Speaking to the Glasgow Times, his daughter Eilidh Naismith said: "It was a total shock.

"He was just having a pint in a bar that he loved going to. There was a real buzz and energy that night because it was near Christmas.

"And then it just turned to chaos. My dad went in to get a pint and a seat became free.

"Because of that seat, he was 30 seconds away from the impact zone and 10 people died that night."

Dougie & Eilidh (Image: Gordon Terris)

Dougie broke several bones amid the crash but Eilidh says it was the mental health repercussions of the tragedy that stuck with him.

The 27-year-old said: "It was the mental deterioration and his health that had the most severe impact on his illness and the consequences of the Clutha."

Dougie, from the Southside, worked as a firefighter for almost 30 years after joining up as a teenager.

On the job, the father of three witnessed many tragedies and traumatic incidents unfold, which lingered in his mind even after he retired.

Eilidh said: "It was never a formal diagnosis but my dad suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) even before the Clutha.

"When he retired from the fire service he had already experienced mental illness.

"It was things he experienced and witnessed on the job: catastrophes, fires, car crashes.

"That stays with you for life. There is such a community in the fire service. Firefighters rally around each other and they're like a family.

"You take the good but the bad side of it is the types of things you can't unsee."

Dougie is described as family-orientated, outgoing, outdoorsy - a yes-person who loved sports and doted on his children.

He spent his free time learning languages, reading books, playing chess and a formidable opponent at a pub quiz with his "encyclopaedic" knowledge of random facts.

Eilidh said: "I can't believe the amount of time that's gone by since he died but it also feels like yesterday.

"You don't ever move forward. You carry the pain with you, every day you carry it.

"And some days, it's really heavy to carry. Other days you feel like other people are helping you lift it and those days are a little bit lighter."

She added that death by suicide carries the weight of the what-ifs, a layer of guilt, anger and confusion.

Eilidh said: "It's just so painful and so traumatic."

Her decision to speak out about her experience of losing her dad comes as the Firefighters Charity marks just over a month of its new crisis line for the fire service.

Eilidh said: "My key message is that you are never alone.

"There are so many resources available like through the Firefighters Charity, with professional guidance to support you and your loved one through their illness every step of the way.

"It can be such a lonely and isolating experience but there are networks and groups where you can connect and speak in a safe space with people who are going through something similar."

The Fire Fighters Charity 24/7 Crisis Line number is 0300 373 0896 and the Charity’s suite of online resources for anyone worried about themselves or someone else can be accessed here.

You can contact the Samaritans 24 hours a day, seven days a week via telephone on 116 123 or text: 07725 90 90 90.

To visit the Samaritans website, click HERE