LiveATC Discussion Forums
Air Traffic Monitoring => Listener Forum => Topic started by: englishpilot on March 20, 2009, 04:02:10 PM
-
I was on DL4964 yesterday (19th) KLEX-KATL - we had a pax on board who was very ill (sweating and vomitting), poor guy. They asked for a doctor on board - there wasn't one but there was a firefighter who assisted.
I believe that the pilot declared a medical emergency as we came in with a serious descent with an ambulance waiting at the gate.
http://flightaware.com/live/flight/ASQ4964/history/20090319/1913Z/KLEX/KATL
At this time i'm not able to go through the archives but does anyone know any more..............
I do hope that this pax has recovered - poor guy.
By the way - the flight attendant deserves praise as she handled the situation well, in a very calm and collective manner, preventing any panic on this small, intimate aircraft.
-
Just to clarify, it was probably not declared as a "medical emergency." Most airlines only allow a "medical emergency" to be declared if a crewmember is incapacitated. This was most likely declared as a lifeguard flight. I've had a few medical situations come up mid-flight, one was actually inbound to ATL. They controllers did a wonderful job of sequencing us in early and allowing us to cross midfield instead of taking the Victor Loop.
-
Declaring a medical emergency is not restricted to crewmember incapacitation, it's mostly situations just liek this. A lifeguard flight is when there's an organ being transported for a transplant or something to that effect.
-
The pilots or controller (if aware of the situation) could have also declared (or asked for) "Priority" so as not to unnecessarily delay the arrival of the flight. I also believe the 7110.65 may allow for the controller to declare the flight a lifeguard flight, but it would be something I would need to look into further first as there are restrictions on that.
-
Declaring a medical emergency is not restricted to crewmember incapacitation, it's mostly situations just liek this. A lifeguard flight is when there's an organ being transported for a transplant or something to that effect.
I was paraphrasing my company's FAA approved/mandated procedure. To quote:
Urgent medical conditions, except the incapacitation of a crewmember, do not constitute flight emergencies as they do not jeopardize the safety of flight. The correct response is to declare lifeguard status citing a medical emergency onboard. The pilot must specifically request priority handling from ATC. Medical "emergencies" do not permit deviation from any FAR.
This is the FAA's procedure for my airline, which is considered a sister airline to that in discussion here.
But, as is every case, the PIC has final authority
-
Hmm, while working approach control a few weeks ago, a Mesaba flight diverted to my airport for an unresponsive passenger. The Center was working the aircraft at the time . . . by the time he came to me, he was an emergency aircraft. I don't know if the pilot declared the emergency (that's what the center controller said), or if the controller declared an emergency for the pilot, but it was definitely a full-blown emergency.
-
If a pilot declares a emergency, weither its a medical one or not, its still an emergency. I've had pilots report a sick pax on board and treat them as I would a pilot declaring min fuel, "expect no undue delay".
-
I have worked a ton of medical emergencies, every time the pilot has keyed up saying "we are declaring a medical emergency, we have a passenger with xxx problem". I have never heard a commercial jet call and declare themselves lifeguard, have had where they depart in that status obviously carrying some organ or patient for transplant etc. From my view if I was the passenger on board that is in medical need, I would rather you declare an emergency then go to lifeguard status. Lifeguards I try to go direct with, emergencies go direct regardless, both get no undue delay, but emergencies get the attention of everyone, lifeguards are routine.
-
As I have learned at school the world is a little larger than the USA alone, so in Europe they still use PAN PAN PAN, the official way....
-
A lifeguard flight is not just an organ transplant flight, but more commonly an air ambulance flight. Whether it be fixed wing or rotor wing, you will hear these air ambulances referred to as Lifeguard and/or their flightplan will be accordingly marked as such.
"It is only intended for those missions of an urgent medical nature and to be utilized only for that portion of the flight requiring expeditious handling."