A Delta flight was getting ready to take off from the runway when passengers were made aware of a medical emergency. Fortunately, the U.S. Surgeon General was on board and was able to assist the flight crew with the patient.
Medical Emergency On The Runway
Last Wednesday, passengers on a Delta flight were waiting for the plane to take off at the Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport when flight crew alerted of a medical emergency. Luckily, one of the passengers was U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams who was also on board the plane to Jackson, Mississippi, and he assisted the crew in taking care of the patient.
On my @Delta flight to Jackson, Mississippi (by way of Atlanta), and they asked if there was a Doctor on board to help with a medical emergency- why yes- yes there was. Patient doing well and like a good #USPHS officer, I was glad to be able to assist! pic.twitter.com/N9HdY3py6G — U.S. Surgeon General (@Surgeon_General) May 16, 2018
Evidently, the medical emergency was prompted by a passenger who suddenly lost consciousness. Adams and the cabin crew attended to the passenger who eventually regained consciousness, but Adams still determined that the passenger needed to be taken to a hospital so the plane went back to the gate where they were greeted by medics. Adams assisted the passenger out of the plane and even contacted the patient's spouse to relay what had happened.
"Prior to takeoff, Delta flight 1827 from Fort Lauderdale to Atlanta returned to the gate following a customer illness. Medical assistance was provided by the U.S. Surgeon General who worked with our flight crew to aid the customer," Delta said in a statement. There is no word on what exactly caused the patient to lose consciousness or how he or she is currently doing, but in Adams' tweet, he stated that the patient is doing well. Delta Airlines thanked the Surgeon General for his help in a statement and in a tweet.
When the “Doctor on board” is THE Doctor. Thanks for your service and assistance today @Surgeon_General. https://t.co/8JCrvIRBHF — Delta (@Delta) May 16, 2018
US Surgeon General Jerome Adams
Surgeon General Jerome Adams began his term as the 20th surgeon general of the United States in September of 2017. Among the many things that the Surgeon General has been prioritizing since taking office is the ongoing opioid epidemic which continues to cause addiction, drug overdoses, and claim many lives.
In fact, just last April, he released an advisory to address the public and advise them to carry the Naloxone with them just in case they will be faced with an emergency overdose situation. It was the first advisory from the U.S. Surgeon General in 13 years, and such advisories are only issued when faced a major public health problem which requires urgent action.
