American Airlines Celebrates Saving 76 Lives in 10 Years with Automated External Defibrillators

In 1997, American Airlines became one of the first U.S. airlines to equip its aircraft fleet with Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs), and this month, the airline proudly celebrates the 76 lives it has saved in those 10 years.

“American Airlines is pleased to be a pioneer in heart-health at 30,000 feet,” said Dr. Thomas Bettes, American’s Corporate Medical Director. “Our extensive training process ensures that our nearly 16,000 flight attendants are AED-trained annually and available to assist should a passenger become a victim of sudden cardiac arrest.”

American’s installation of AEDs came nearly seven years before the FAA required them on all commercial passenger aircraft of a certain size. Within the first year, all of American’s flight attendants were trained to use the AEDs in case of emergencies.

On Feb. 18, 1998, Robert Giggey of Mebane, N.C., became the first American Airlines passenger whose life was saved. Mr. Giggey collapsed on board an aircraft after rushing to catch a connecting flight at DFW Airport. Following his incident, Mr. Giggey and his wife, Carmen, became champions of getting defibrillators installed in public places.

The American Heart Association estimates that 95% of sudden cardiac arrest victims die before reaching the hospital, and when defibrillation is provided within 5 to 7 minutes, the survival rate from sudden cardiac arrest is as high as 49%.

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