smartinez

Last night on CO702 (EWR-LAX) about an hour into the flight they called for a doctor over the PA. Couldn't really see what was going on, it was in the way back of the plane. After a while I asked a FA what was going on and she said someone fainted but was fine.

Nothing else happened (that I could see or hear, anyway) until we landed, and I could see a fire dept paramedic truck with lights flashing next to the gate. From my seat I could see the paramedics lined up in full gear on the jetway ready to come onboard.

But no announcement was made, and everyone stood up to get off. The FAs told everyone that we were exiting out the second exit between first and coach, even though we could see the jetway lining up at the first door. They didn't hand back the coats, and when someone said something, the flight attendant said that they would hand them out as we exited past them. When we pointed out they were by the second door, and the jetway was coming to the first door, one said, "We have a medical emergency, your coats are the least of our problems!"

Then they finally got the jetway hooked up (first door) and the firemen started to come on, but since the aisles were completely full, they backed up and told us to get off first. The flight attendants were all by the second door, still thinking that's where the jetway was coming, so then they had to scramble with the jackets. When we walked by the pilots, who were ready to get off too, one said to the other, "I didn't call an emergency" - he looked surprised and irritated to me.

So who calls medical emergencies? If they did think it was an emergency, shouldn't they have made everyone stay seated so the paramedics could come on board? Why did the pilots not know what was going on? Who should have been in charge of this?

yad

I dunno who declares an official emergency, but I find the procedure during your flight rather strange.

A month or two ago I was on a 767 IAH-EWR flight where a passenger collapsed towards the end of the flight. We made an emergency landing and the captain asked everyone to stay seated while the paramedics came on board to offload that passenger. Was very quick and well-organized. Then after they got the sick guy off the plane everyone else got off as usual.

channa

It really is a clusterf*ck.

My gf got sick on a flight. They did the whole nine yards and called for a doctor. At the end of the flights, it's SOP to get the paramedics. Since she was starting to feel better at the end, they said to wait in the back, and we'll let the pax deboard first. We all agreed to this, but the paramedics wanted her off first, so nobody on board was aware of this, so they made everyone wait til she got off first. It was a mess.

btw, in case you're ever in such a situation, if you want to just leave (which we did, since she was starting to feel better), be firm with the paramedics. They just waste your time by taking blood pressure, asking your weight, and other stupid stuff. When I pointed out that she'd vomited a lot, and asked for an IV, they didn't even have that. So don't waste your time with the airport paramedics. For the most part, they only have a wheelchair and can call you an ambulance.

usa18dca

I've had a medical emergency on my recent DCA-IAH flights...the Crew will call for a medical emergency usually unless someone on the ground makes a phone call to IAH Airport.

SOP is for everyone to wait while the paramedics get the person(s) off first...

It's fun sometimes to come in at 250 knots until the FAF (Final Approach Fix) and hit the spoilers with the flaps rolling for a hard landing and see the ambulance follow the aircraft into the gate. (which is what happened on my flight)...The ground going by that fast LOL

PUCCI GALORE

If you will permit me to say what our procedure would be - the Capt would make the decision to divert and land if the patient could not be stabalised aboard. The lead FA/Purser - or our case CSD would see if there was any medical doctor aboard who would be asked to asses the condition and basically see if this was life threatening or if it could be stabalised aboard (eg we quite often have diabetic patient either get their insulin/blood glucose slightly wrong and who need sugar (juice is best) to just stablise. Again that will be sorted and the passenger is fine. Stress, not getting food at the correct moment fr whatever reason). That is quite different from someone who may go into cardiac arrest. Could be the case here?

Usually the Capt will consult the Doctor if we have one - or me if we haven't as I am a nurse. If in doubt we land. It is however normal to get the paramedics aborad fast and the passengers out of the way quickly. May I say that reducing the numbers of crew can come home to roost at times like this.

Sorry if this is all a bit non-CO but I bet that they do something pretty similar. Someone will have made a decision that the flight could continue. I'm sorry but a retort like this is not professional - had passnegers been asked to collect their own coats due to their tending a sick passenger I have no doubt everyone would have done so with grace and thinking that there for the grace of God went they.

suzanneaustin

I was involved in a medical event last winter in which a passenger had several syncopal episodes in flight. By the time they called me to assist, the FAs had started him on oxygen and the flight doctor and captain were both on the phone to listen to my assessment. We prepared a pallet in the galley so that the passenger could lie flat with his legs elevated. As soon as we started our approach, 3 passengers in First graciously gave up their seats so that I could sit with him in the the first row and his wife could sit directly behind us. The captain made an announcement that the paramedics were waiting at the gate and that the passenger would deplane first after the EMTs came on board. There were many groans, but they assessed him very quickly and took him off in a wheelchair. It probably didn't add more than 5 minutes to the deplaning. It wasn't considered an emergency and we had actually had to wait on the tarmac for several minutes before we could even pull up to the jetway.

cerealmarketer

Still no clues as to why the captain in the original instance didn't think an emergency was declared....or why they played Let's Make a Deal with the doors.


My CO exprerience was a pax with breathing trouble abotu an hour out of EWR. We were cleared to land quickly....and I have never had a faster approach into the airport. Fast, hard landing, and we taxied at what felt like highway speeds. Paramedics hopped on, grabbed him, and on their way.

Chicken or Beef

The FAs will tell the captain that there is an emergency onboard, and the captain is to call for medical consultation. He/She would be the only one who could call for paramedics to meet the plane too. I agree with you cerelmarketer, CA should have known. Since the Verizon phones are not in use anymore, the FAs have to tell the CA. Sounds to me like the crew did not communicate very well.

And the doors...well that's just strange.

sfogate

At SFO, the meeting SFO Fire Department paramedics tell us if they want the customers to remain seated or if they wish to have all customers get off. It depends on the medical emergency. The SFPD (police), Air Field Safety and ambulance drivers (if the emergency calls for this) are also plane side.

And in case you were wondering, the ambulance ride and emergency room visit is paid for by the passenger. Treatment by the SFO Fire Department is provided by our tax dollars.

pptp

We have a wonderful tool available to us onboard at any time called MedLink. Trained doctors in every field familiar with physiology at altitude are patched in to the pilots then to the FA's.

When under the guidance of MedLink, assisting medical personnel need not worry about liability as this is taken care of.

Ultimately, the decision to divert goes to the captain, under the direction of MedLink.

As was said, if the PAX is stable enough to continue the flight there would be no diversion.

It's possible there would be medical personnel waiting without calling an emergency. The operations control center would be involved as would the landing station ops. The station may have had paramedics waiting just as a precaution. This would explain the confusion in order of deplaning as well as the pilots' comments.

As far as the doors, we never know which one they are going to use until they pull the gate up to the plane.

smartinez

Interesting, thanks.

Just FYI, nobody was complaining, in fact we were trying to help get out of the way, and were offering to sit down, or whatever they needed us to do to clear the aisles. But not handing out the coats meant that we couldn't leave. It was all handled in a few minutes, but that one FA seemed rather hysterical about it, as if the coats were preventing him handling the medical emergency properly, which seems unlikely.

The other FC FA mentioned at dinner service (she was apologizing for being slow) that there used to be another FA, so maybe it was just a case of frazzled nerves with an overworked crew. I actually thought the service was just fine up and everything was handled really well up until that last minute confusion -- and I should have mentioned that in my post.

I was mostly curious about procedures, and the answers posted have been really informative! FT rocks.

ralfp

Really? Is there some sort of law that immunizes any assisting medical personnel if MedLink is used? Or does the fact that MedLink was used provide some CYA when defending a suit?

Mrs. ralfp should know if this is the case.

channa

"Treatment" would tend to imply they do something. I don't think they do much other than call an ambulance.

sfogate

The paramedics do quite alot, as the first responders. There are times when an ambulance is not called, so yes the paramedics are the ones to summon the ambulance should it become necessary. Not all medical problems require the need for an ambulance.

kingalien

Was on a WN flight that a passenger two rows in front of me had a medical problem. FA paged for a doctor on board and just so happened an ER doc was sitting next to me. He talked with the passenger and it was determined it was not life threatening and since the flight only had about 35 minutes left it was decided to continue to destination. On final descent, FA announced that paramedics would be coming on board first and escort the passenger. On arrival to the gate, paramedics were already waiting, came on board and escorted passenger under her own power to the jetway where she was placed on a gurney. Very well handled by all and did not disrupt or lengthen the deplaning process.