emergency medical failure
Jun 3, 2018, 12:56 pm
#46
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 64
reality recheck:
1) on plane in heat for approximately 1 1/2 hours not 45 minutes. Also likely insufficient O2.
2) In Chicago in the 90s brutal heat at O'Hare cold water and ice.
3) good point on #4 , so why don't you also ask why.......This was not a customary activity. Don't ever recall in 50 years of jets and many many millions of miles. The kicked people off or asked for volunteers or left baggage behind.
4) recall that by that point I was not the most coherent.
1) on plane in heat for approximately 1 1/2 hours not 45 minutes. Also likely insufficient O2.
2) In Chicago in the 90s brutal heat at O'Hare cold water and ice.
3) good point on #4 , so why don't you also ask why.......This was not a customary activity. Don't ever recall in 50 years of jets and many many millions of miles. The kicked people off or asked for volunteers or left baggage behind.
4) recall that by that point I was not the most coherent.
Jun 3, 2018, 1:04 pm
#47
Join Date: Oct 2005
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Jun 3, 2018, 1:10 pm
#48
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 64
For Friday May 25th, the forecast high temperature was 84 and the actual was 87, partly cloudy. Two o'clock in the afternoon should have been before the hottest point of the day.
I assume this was a CRJ-200 to MSP?
ADDED: Tomorrow's flight (for a random weekday) at about this time is DL 4761operated by SkyWest, 2:12 pm to 3:13 pm, for a total of 143 miles.
BTW, it's less than a three hour drive and reasonably pleasant until you hit the northern suburbs, so IMO it doesn't make sense to fly unless one is connecting onward from MSP.
I assume this was a CRJ-200 to MSP?
ADDED: Tomorrow's flight (for a random weekday) at about this time is DL 4761operated by SkyWest, 2:12 pm to 3:13 pm, for a total of 143 miles.
BTW, it's less than a three hour drive and reasonably pleasant until you hit the northern suburbs, so IMO it doesn't make sense to fly unless one is connecting onward from MSP.
100% sunshine clouds and previous rain all passed,
btw is right on, connecting to sna. I some times rent to drive or take shuttle.
by the way I am also economist and Parisian from the 1960's.
Jun 3, 2018, 1:31 pm
#49
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I hope you made your connection and felt well enough to travel. I'm guessing that it was DL 568, which departed at 5:32 pm on May 25 from gate G1. This is a very long walk from the A gates at MSP, although of course there are electric golf carts (and the C concourse tram or moving walkways among the C and G concourses as well as the airside walkway at the rear of the parking ramp connecting the C and G gates).
Jun 3, 2018, 5:17 pm
#50
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: ATL
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You are entitled to your opinion.
However consider I worked with chairman of cardiology at Newark Beth Israel on refining and correcting their EKG mathematics often during live procedure. Mayo clinic Leukemia research (live). Research on red blood cell life cycle and monitoring of diabetes.
On site in ER on days of highest traffic monitoring quality of care, first hand witness to hundreds of heat related patients.
However consider I worked with chairman of cardiology at Newark Beth Israel on refining and correcting their EKG mathematics often during live procedure. Mayo clinic Leukemia research (live). Research on red blood cell life cycle and monitoring of diabetes.
On site in ER on days of highest traffic monitoring quality of care, first hand witness to hundreds of heat related patients.
if you were indeed in need of medical attention, and considering your previously posted experience, would this not have been one of your first actions?
Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to play Monday-morning quarterback back here, but you make it sound like it was a dire medical emergency, so I'm just trying to understand why someone with medical experience wouldn't escalate the situation accordingly.
Jun 4, 2018, 5:07 am
#51
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 2,279
With your above experience, why did you not call 911 if the flight attendant was not willing to get with the flight crew to declare a medical emergency for you?
if you were indeed in need of medical attention, and considering your previously posted experience, would this not have been one of your first actions?
Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to play Monday-morning quarterback back here, but you make it sound like it was a dire medical emergency, so I'm just trying to understand why someone with medical experience wouldn't escalate the situation accordingly.
if you were indeed in need of medical attention, and considering your previously posted experience, would this not have been one of your first actions?
Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to play Monday-morning quarterback back here, but you make it sound like it was a dire medical emergency, so I'm just trying to understand why someone with medical experience wouldn't escalate the situation accordingly.
Jun 4, 2018, 5:20 am
#52
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reality recheck:
1) on plane in heat for approximately 1 1/2 hours not 45 minutes. Also likely insufficient O2.
2) In Chicago in the 90s brutal heat at O'Hare cold water and ice.
3) good point on #4 , so why don't you also ask why.......This was not a customary activity. Don't ever recall in 50 years of jets and many many millions of miles. The kicked people off or asked for volunteers or left baggage behind.
4) recall that by that point I was not the most coherent.
1) on plane in heat for approximately 1 1/2 hours not 45 minutes. Also likely insufficient O2.
2) In Chicago in the 90s brutal heat at O'Hare cold water and ice.
3) good point on #4 , so why don't you also ask why.......This was not a customary activity. Don't ever recall in 50 years of jets and many many millions of miles. The kicked people off or asked for volunteers or left baggage behind.
4) recall that by that point I was not the most coherent.
Jun 4, 2018, 5:24 am
#53
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: CHS
Programs: DL PM
Posts: 508
So..... if it so hot that you were experiencing heat exhaustion and "possibly" passing out, I would imagine that there were a LOT of other passengers complaining verbally, and suffering physically the point of having an emergency. I mean, when you started slurring your words and speaking incoherently, surely pax around you would have reiterated to the FA that this was a medical emergency and then others would have chimed in. The FAs also would have been making announcements acknowledging the heat in the cabin and apologizing for it. And if any of these things happened... (other pax complaining, FA's making announcements, other pax experiencing heat illness symptoms etc) the crew would be grossly negligent to ignore someone claiming to be having a medical emergency and I highly doubt they would risk losing their jobs by ignoring your complaints.
So.... Did any of these things happen? Or is it possible there there is just a little too much exaggeration in your story?
So.... Did any of these things happen? Or is it possible there there is just a little too much exaggeration in your story?
Jun 4, 2018, 6:06 am
#54
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 2,881
The cabin door was closed for 46 minutes before the flight took off. Boarding on a CRJ-200 normally begins 25 minutes before departure. That adds up to 1 hour 11 minutes total time onboard before takeoff if you boarded as early as possible, but the first 25 minutes was at the gate with the opportunity to deplane.
Jun 5, 2018, 10:10 pm
#55
Join Date: Dec 2010
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Posts: 466
Having flown the devils chariot for a few thousand hours, I can totally empathize with the OP. I think he is absolutely justified in complaining and not being dramatic. I hated those hot cabins and even felt quite uncomfortable if not nauseous while we were stuck on the ground as well. It is a dangerous situation and I feel that the FA should have offered water to him. The company tries to remind crews to keep the cabin as cool as possible, but sometimes they aren't as good as others. The crew is sitting in front where there is less body heat and even when the outside temperature is in the 60's, the cabin gets unbearable without air circulation. The -200 doesn't have recirculation fans and many of them have very weak APU's to boot. Everyone reacts to heat exhaustion in different ways and levels, and I can totally see the OP being timid about being a little more assertive so as to not have to make waves with the crew or perhaps embarrassment from other passengers. I remember boarding a flight, myself, and feeling very dehydrated all of a sudden. I asked for water, and even got a little pushback from the FA as I would have to wait until cruise. If I had been an infrequent flyer, I probably would have not pushed the issue, but I simply stated I was hot, thirsty, and starting to feel nauseous. All I needed was some water. It wasn't an emergency. I didn't feel I needed to get off the plane. I just wanted water.
I hate seeing stories like this as I did everything in my power to keep the aircraft cool, but there is only so much I can do with some of those planes. At a small station like DLH, it's not an issue at all to go back to the gate to open the door to either deplane or hook up ground air to cool things off. Yes, it will delay the flight more, but having a cool comfortable safe cabin trumps that. Even if a large hub didn't have a gate available, it's not an issue for the crew to declare a medical emergency. They will find one really quick then.
We get memo's every summer regarding hot cabins and this thread reminds me to be aware of the comfort back there. I'm on the better plane now, and I don't miss my days on the chariot.
I hate seeing stories like this as I did everything in my power to keep the aircraft cool, but there is only so much I can do with some of those planes. At a small station like DLH, it's not an issue at all to go back to the gate to open the door to either deplane or hook up ground air to cool things off. Yes, it will delay the flight more, but having a cool comfortable safe cabin trumps that. Even if a large hub didn't have a gate available, it's not an issue for the crew to declare a medical emergency. They will find one really quick then.
We get memo's every summer regarding hot cabins and this thread reminds me to be aware of the comfort back there. I'm on the better plane now, and I don't miss my days on the chariot.
Jun 8, 2018, 2:12 pm
#56
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 64
Having flown the devils chariot for a few thousand hours, I can totally empathize with the OP. I think he is absolutely justified in complaining and not being dramatic. I hated those hot cabins and even felt quite uncomfortable if not nauseous while we were stuck on the ground as well. It is a dangerous situation and I feel that the FA should have offered water to him. The company tries to remind crews to keep the cabin as cool as possible, but sometimes they aren't as good as others. The crew is sitting in front where there is less body heat and even when the outside temperature is in the 60's, the cabin gets unbearable without air circulation. The -200 doesn't have recirculation fans and many of them have very weak APU's to boot. Everyone reacts to heat exhaustion in different ways and levels, and I can totally see the OP being timid about being a little more assertive so as to not have to make waves with the crew or perhaps embarrassment from other passengers. I remember boarding a flight, myself, and feeling very dehydrated all of a sudden. I asked for water, and even got a little pushback from the FA as I would have to wait until cruise. If I had been an infrequent flyer, I probably would have not pushed the issue, but I simply stated I was hot, thirsty, and starting to feel nauseous. All I needed was some water. It wasn't an emergency. I didn't feel I needed to get off the plane. I just wanted water.
I hate seeing stories like this as I did everything in my power to keep the aircraft cool, but there is only so much I can do with some of those planes. At a small station like DLH, it's not an issue at all to go back to the gate to open the door to either deplane or hook up ground air to cool things off. Yes, it will delay the flight more, but having a cool comfortable safe cabin trumps that. Even if a large hub didn't have a gate available, it's not an issue for the crew to declare a medical emergency. They will find one really quick then.
We get memo's every summer regarding hot cabins and this thread reminds me to be aware of the comfort back there. I'm on the better plane now, and I don't miss my days on the chariot.
I hate seeing stories like this as I did everything in my power to keep the aircraft cool, but there is only so much I can do with some of those planes. At a small station like DLH, it's not an issue at all to go back to the gate to open the door to either deplane or hook up ground air to cool things off. Yes, it will delay the flight more, but having a cool comfortable safe cabin trumps that. Even if a large hub didn't have a gate available, it's not an issue for the crew to declare a medical emergency. They will find one really quick then.
We get memo's every summer regarding hot cabins and this thread reminds me to be aware of the comfort back there. I'm on the better plane now, and I don't miss my days on the chariot.
I have the Peter Bergmann attitude as I was a contributor to his feature on the 20-20 which resulted in the lights on the floor and the reseating so that there was
enough room to move the emergency panel clear to allow actual exit. Before, it was nearly impossible. Jack Klugman shared with his over water Quincy episode.
They were good friends.
Jun 8, 2018, 5:45 pm
#57
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: ATL
Programs: Delta PlM, 1M
Posts: 6,363
What is with the O2 issue?
It is simply impossible for people to breathe themselves out of O2. They would die of CO2 poisoning before they noticed any symptoms of lack of oxygen. Or was the tarmac in the Himlayas :-)
As far as CO2 and air quality. One can make a general comment that it sucks on planes. But not going to be a medical emergency.
That aside, I hate sitting in very hot stuffy planes on the tarmak. So my sympathy goes out to OP.
It is simply impossible for people to breathe themselves out of O2. They would die of CO2 poisoning before they noticed any symptoms of lack of oxygen. Or was the tarmac in the Himlayas :-)
As far as CO2 and air quality. One can make a general comment that it sucks on planes. But not going to be a medical emergency.
That aside, I hate sitting in very hot stuffy planes on the tarmak. So my sympathy goes out to OP.