What equipment is available on an airplane if there is a medical emergency?

I’d hope they have some of this stuff. I think they have a small portable oxygen tank with a mask and basic first aid materials.

“Most U.S. airlines carry little more than the medical equipment currently required by FAA: one to four first-aid kits, depending on the number of passengers, and one medical kit per aircraft.

Each first-aid kit must be accessible to the flight attendants and include:

* bandages
* compresses for applying pressure, moisture, heat, or cold
* antiseptic swabs
* arm and leg splints
* tape
* scissors.

An airplane’s medical kit must be accessible to the flight crew, but is for use only by medical professionals. It must include:

* blood pressure cuff
* stethoscope
* plastic airways to deliver oxygen to help with breathing
* nitroglycerin tablets for chest pain
* dextrose solution for hypoglycemia
* epinephrine for asthma or allergic reactions
* injectable diphenhydramine HCl for serious allergic reactions
* hypodermic needles
* protective latex gloves.”

Source

@ipodmovies Your link goes to a weird registration page.

I would hope that all airplanes now carry AEDs aboard!

Aside from what is listed, I think they most likely also have one of those thingies that can give someone a shock if they are having heart trouble, and the flight personnel are trained in CPR. They also will speed up the flight, or even land at a different airport if someone is extremely ill.

@JLeslie

“The answer, sadly, was no. The stewardess was sure there was no defibrillator on board.”

Source

@marinelife Thank you for the word, I was too tired in the wee hours of the middle of the night to come up with defibrillator. I am shocked they don’t have one. I wonder if it depends by airline? They are so simple now, the machine itself detects whether to shock or not.

So airplanes don’t carry AEDs? I guess someone will have to die in flight before they decide to spend the money…

Defibrillators are on board.

…the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a final rule dated April 12, 2001, titled Emergency Medical Equipment. The final rule requires that air carrier operators carry Automated External Defibrillators on passenger carrying aircraft and augment current Emergency Medical Kits. The final rule requires operators to comply by April 12, 2004

http://fsims.faa.gov/wdocs/policy%20letters/pl-073_r04_d00.htm

What’s an AED?

What’s an AED?

Automated External Defibrillator

They are easy to use with minimal training, so flight attendants or even the general public can help save a life.

No, I am not an expert, yes, I had to look it up

@jonfreed – An AED is an automatic defribrillator. It is designed to that a layman can use it in an emergency. You merely attach the electrode pads to the patient, and turn the AED on. Some AEDs will even tell you where to place the electrodes, or if you’ve placed them incorrectly. They’re basically an idiot-proof life-saving device.