So I'm flying home from California last night, and somewhere over the midwest I hear a commotion behind me on the plane. I look back and see a woman collapsed in the aisle with people trying to lift her up into a seat.

Grabbed a pair of gloves and a pocket mask from my carry on and identified myself as an EMT to a flight attendant. I approached a man who was fiddling with a blood pressure cuff from the plane's first aid kit and asked him if he was a doctor. When he said yes, I said "great, I'm an EMT, please let me know how I can assist you." He sheepishly looked at me and said, "I don't really do this kind of medicine. Why don't you take over and let me know how I can help you!" Great.

Doc faded into the background, but as I was taking initial vitals a pediatric nurse practitioner approached and offered to help, but also wanted to follow my lead as she'd not been in the ER or dealt with adults in years. So me, the lowly EMT, was giving directions to the higher medical types. Kind of amusing. Did my assessment and made a report to the pilot, who radioed to the airline’s medical officer for instructions. Pilot and medical officer did not want to divert, and I didn’t argue as she was getting better as time went by.

Anyhow, best guess is the woman had a seizure (when she came to she mentioned something about epilepsy when she was 16). We looked after her until landing when she was removed by paramedics for a ride to the ER.

Morals of the story:

1)Always carry your kit! I was very happy to have gloves when I realized she had lost control of her bladder during the episode.

2)Don’t expect great help in a medical emergency while flying. The nurse’s boyfriend commented that if we had not been there the patient would not have been the only one to soil themselves, as the flight crew seemed totally unprepared for a medical emergency.

3)Contrary to urban legend, I got nothing more than a “thanks” and handshake from the pilot for stepping up and helping. I had always been told they’d give you a free ticket if you treated a fellow passenger (not that this was going through my head when I decided to help, but it sure would have been nice!).

Great work. rule #1, keep your head.

Excellent work, good job and thanks for getting involved.

Good job! I've done the same thing twice myself - once on Southwest, the other I forget. Southwest def. gave me a round trip ticket. I think the other airline gave me a one-way. Either way, kudos!

I was an EMT at the time then too. Now I'm a (internal medicine) doc, but haven't forgotten the streets. But I've also had that situation too (wrong doc, wrong nurse, just me with the confidence and practical knowledge). Don't be afraid to use them, just tell them what you need done.

Nicely done, Jesselp.

Yes, always carry your kit--even if you have to pay extra to have carry-on luggage!

Excellent work. you are a Prepared Man Of Action.

Well done!

That's great jesselp! If I ever find myself on an airplane (not likely), especially during an emergency, I hope someone like you would be on board too!

Wonderful job!

My best friend's son-in-law is a psychiatrist. Shrinks go through regular medical school and then go for their specialty. My friend once asked him why he didn't just do regular medicine, and his response was, "I don't like to get my hands dirty". I guess there's a difference between 'able' and 'willing'.

Which airline was it? Maybe you'll get a little something in the mail when the report gets to management.

Rule #4 (Mom's Rule): Never pass up a reasonable chance to use the restroom (just in case you're the victim).


You would think the airline crews would be trained better than that. All my RR crews are trained in First Aid. When a man jumped off a train and fell under it, cutting his legs off, my guys (before they were 'my' guys) saw him as they passed and stopped the train and went to his aid.

And no, body parts cut off by RR wheels can't be reattached.

Sue

Hey Jesselp, way to step up.

Seems like best practices for emergency response are always changing. So in a situation like that, I'll take a practicing EMT over an ears/nose/throat doc any day. Glad the doc you met had the sense to hand the situation to a specialist.

My father waas a psychiatrist. Once, long ago when my EMT cert was current, I was visiting him when a neighbor came over clutching his profusely bleeding hand. Dad just looked at me and said, "I think this one is for you, son".....He was a very able assistant.

Nurses seem to be everywhere. I was presenting at a national archaeological convention many years ago, when a very obvious Thunk! interrupted my sterling presentation. It was my very good friend and assistant going into a grand mal seizure. As I reached his side, a lady identifying herself as a nurse appeared out of nowhere. What was a nurse doing hanging out with arckies?

Same thing happened at an auto accident when I was out on a run. Just as I reached the vehicle, another nurse showed up. I don't know how they do it, but it's great.

Well done sir. My brother ended up the lone responder on a flight over the pole from Heathrow, no doctors, nurses, EMTs, just an air crew without enough know-how and him, he has volunteered in two ERs but has been busy hocking software for at least a decade. He was 'in charge' because the woman was sitting next to him when she collapsed unconscious into the aisle. No one else stepped up, so he stepped in. He kept the patient stable and on oxygen and the flight diverted to Innavut or somewhere like that to get her medical assistance.

The one thing he mentioned is some a-hole snapping pics of the woman during treatment, the air crew made that guy stop. Its nice to think that someone will come along and take over treatment with greater expertise than you, but probably not, you may be all that's available, best to get it done with what you have, which is mostly between your ears (plus oxygen).

I think my bro got alot of thanks and gratitude from the crew and is lately on the short list for receiving free and sudden upgrades on that particular airline (one that he doesn't often fly on actually).

Jesselp The Gods of medicine are smiling upon you, it's good to know some Docs (and nurses) know when to "hand the reins over" to someone who knows what their doing.

Mike
ER Trauma Tech

A few years ago, 3 others and myself were on a flight returning to Maryland from Colorado, where we had just finished our Ice Rescue Instructor training. An announcement was made requesting a doctor or nurse, as one of the passengers was experiencing chest pain. We alerted the Flight Attendant of our presence (2 Paramedics and 2 EMTs) and would be glad to assist. She told us that the airline policy was to ask for medical assistance from a doctor first, followed by a nurse, regardless of their specialty. We were perhaps 40 minutes from landing at BWI, but the doctor requested an emergency landing at the nearest airport, which was back along the flight path. It took 10 minutes to redirect the flight; 20 minutes return time and another 15 minutes to land (45 minutes total). The passenger appeared alert and orientated, with no visible signs of distress. We mentioned to the Flight Attendant, that we would have had the plane continue to BWI. She smiled and said the Doctor was a Pediatrician, did not feel comfortable treating the patient in the air and wanted to get her to the hospital ASAP.

Pete

I am writing up the lawsuit against you right now...

I kid, I kid!

Good job man.

Exclent job. it pays to be ready and it apears that you are one very prepaird person!

Great job on the quick thinking.

that drives home that just becouse they are a Dr. doesn't mean that they carry or hone the emergency skillset. Remember this during disasters and emergencies.

Thanks a lot for sharing, I am impressed. Good job

Don't know how I missed this thread. Excellent work! You really handled that situation well.

Thanks for all the kudos folks. Really wasn't what I was looking for.

I try to carry the tools necessary to make use of the skills I have. I know myself, and I know that I would not be able to live with myself if I simply sat by and watched when I had the skills and knowledge to make a difference. I know a lot of folks on this board feel the same way.

I know that a lot of us get resistance from friends and family, wondering why we lug around the EDC kits that we do. I simply wanted to provide an example of how my EDC allowed me to help out in an emergency, and do so from a position of relative safety by carrying gloves and a pocket mask.

I may feel bad about not helping, but I've got a wife and kids to think about, and there's no way I'm doing mouth-to-mouth without a mask (except for my wife or kids), nor do I want to be touching bodily fluids of a stranger without gloves. Without my EDC, the decision to jump in and help a stranger becomes much more complicated.

Thanks again for the kind words from all of you. Keep carrying your EDC, learn as much as you can, hope you never have to use any of it, but know you are prepared if you ever do.

Oh, we all know you weren't trolling for praise, but you're getting it anyway. Deal with it!

Sue

Remember what they said in to us all in Scouts "Be Prepared". The need to always have good First Aid gear and Survival Equipment with you does not go away if we are not in the wilderness.

PS good job!

This kinda sums up the attitude to all our preps, no?

More kudos to you, Jesselp. Job well done!

Wow that is exactly how I feel. Thanks for saying....
Zach