In Nov 2001 I was en route to SEA on a DL flight from DFW when an elderly woman on the flight began experienceing breathing difficulties. The flight attendants became more and more alarmed and visibly upset as the womans condition worsened.

They called for anyone who was a doctor on board, and a doctor and his medical assistant came to the womans aid. The flight was diverted to SLC but by the time we landed the woman had already passed away.

On a side note, I had an experience this weekend which fits in with this topic somewhat....

I was in a retail store on 5th Avenue in NYC this Saturday when an elderly gentleman just dropped to the floor and appeared to suffer a massive heart attack. The store employees were not only completely untrained as to what to do in this emergency, but they were also totally indifferent to the situation and had no regard for this gentleman or his wife, who was of course in shock and in total disbelief. One employee called 911 while at least 8 others simply stood by and watched. One customer began chest compressions and a few moments later, another customer came to assist with the compressions. Only after about 5 minutes (which seemed like 20) did someone ask if there was a defibrillator on site, which there was, and even after that was finally located, no employees seemed trained in its use. The employees seemed to have no clue as to what to do in an emergency, things like getting a blanket or cushion for the mans head, stopping the flow of customers to the area (this happened at the top of the escalator on the 3rd floor level of a floor that caters to children), having an employee tend to the wife, administering CPR or locating the defibrillator in an expedient manner and then being able to use it.

From my vantage point, the gentleman unfortunately was not responding to the efforts made by the customers, and I believe he probably was dead immediately, however I felt that the store employees really should have been better trained as to how to respond to this situation. Seeing that this is a 4 story retail store in midtown Manhattan, it would seem that employees should have more training in what to do in those first vital minutes of an emergency. (To the FDNY's credit, there were there within 5-6 minutes)

I am considering writing to the corporate HQ or emailing but haven't quite formulated a letter that would convey my point that there employees seem poorly trained to help out in this circumstance.