AED and RITE used on Unconscious man on Airplane

Here is another Automated Electronic Defibrillator success story. This one involves 3 NYC firefighters on-board with their new invention the "Rapid Intervention Tactical Evacuation" known as "RITE", which they would be demonstrating to a manufacturer a short while later.

Here is part of the article:

Bravest, sure, but maybe the Smartest, too

---

Sunday, October 21st 2007
Michael Daly

The invention is designed to be compact, but it would not fit in an overhead compartment, and a flight attendant stashed it in a closet in first class.

The three inventors were flying coach, and they settled into a row of seats toward the back as Delta Flight 17 to Atlanta prepared to depart from Kennedy Airport on Monday morning.

The plane was just beginning to roll away from the gate when a young man jumped up two rows in front of the inventors. He began to tug at an older man who had slumped over in the seat next to him.

"Papa! Papa!" the young man called out.

The fear in his face was unmistakable as he continued trying to rouse the older man.

"Sit down!" a flight attendant ordered.

"Papa! Papa!" the young man continued.

The inventors leapt up and rushed over. The older man appeared to be unconscious, and the inventors raised his limp arm over his head and let go. A conscious person will instinctively move his falling hand so as not to strike himself.

The man's hand struck his face, confirming this was more serious than a little drowsiness. The inventors learned anew the difficulty of moving a full-grown unconscious person in a tight space as they shifted the man to the bulkhead area. They announced themselves to the startled passengers and crew.

"We're New York City firemen! Get out of the way!"

Firefighter Tommy Fee put his fingertips against the man's carotid artery. He felt no pulse and did chest compressions as retired Lt. Frank Haskell called for the defibrillator aboard all flights. Planes also carry an oxygen tank, and retired Lt. Mike Harty got that going.

A flight attendant brought the defibrillator. The firefighters tore open the man's shirt and applied the two pads. A mechanical voice crackled from the device.

"Analyzing patient.... Prepare to shock. ... Step away. ... Shock."

Fee hit the red button marked Shock. The resulting jolt of electricity made the man's body jump.

"Analyzing patient."

The firefighters saw a bounding line on the defibrillator's small monitor screen.

"Back to life," Fee later said.

To learn more about the RITE success story and how the patient is doing, click on the word.