Emirates Recruits 3,000 Cabin Crew Members with First Aid Skills

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*Originally posted on travelradar.aero - the leading aviation news source*

Marking World First Aid Day this month, Emirates celebrates with 3,000 new cabin crew recruits who are now equipped with first aid skills, after successfully graduating from the airline’s rigorous cabin crew 8-week training programme.

The need for crew members to be able to administer first aid is followed by an incident in July earlier this year where Emirates crew members saved the lives of two passengers by administering cardiovascular pulmonary respiration (CPR) and using a defibrillator.

The ‘ab-Initio’ training period takes approximately 8 weeks. This includes but is not limited to courses from security to service, safety and emergency to hospitality, and the critically important medical response training.

From the erroneous perception of cabin crew just serving meals and looking glamorous, Emirates crew are trained to manage a range of situations on board, and this includes learning essential life-saving skills.

What do the Emirates cabin crew learn?

The new recruits are schooled in the life-saving skills of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), where they practice on patient simulation mannequins, and how to use an automated external defibrillator (AED) machine properly.

The crew are also taught how to deal with injuries like fractures, burns, and amputations, as well as communicable diseases, the importance of infection control procedures, and on-board hygiene.

Medical training is provided to new cabin crew members on all aspects of first aid, including dealing with a collapsed casualty who has fainted, managing choking, recognising and managing breathing difficulties like asthma and hyperventilation, sudden illnesses like chest pain, stroke, low blood sugar, allergic reactions, deep vein thrombosis, barotrauma, decompression illness, and substance misuse.

All training is provided by certified aviation first aid instructors, in the world-class training facility – Emirates Cabin Crew Training Centre in Dubai.

If or when there is a medical incident on board, cabin crew are supported by the flight deck crew (Captain/Pilot and First Officer/co-pilot) and a team called Ground Medical Support.

Ground Medical Support is a team based in Emirates Headquarters, UAE, who are available 24/7 by satellite communication to support and advise crew around the world on medical incidents that happen on board aircraft.

From a psychological perspective, cabin crew also receive training on gaining consent to assist passengers, showing empathy to the sick and their families, staying calm, keeping the casualty informed at all stages and being present with the casualty until the situation improves.

They are also taught how to professionally break difficult news when required, without inducing panic in other passengers, both on and off the flight.

As some people do experience discomfort when flying, having specially trained crew members may also make passengers more relaxed. Will other airlines follow suit and add first aid to their training protocols? Let us know your thoughts.

*https://travelradar.aero*