Emirates Celebrates World First Aid Day and 3,000 New Cabin Crews
Marking World First Aid Day this month, Emirates celebrates 3,000
new cabin crew recruits who are now equipped with top-notch aviation first aid
skills, after successfully graduating from the airline’s rigorous cabin crew
training program.
As part of a highly successful recruitment drive this year, Emirates
has already hired 3,000 new joiners who undergo 8 weeks of intense ‘ab-initio’
training in order to become world-class cabin crew. The ab-initio period
includes a myriad of courses from security to service, safety and emergency to
hospitality, and the critically important medical response
training. Far from the erroneous perception of cabin crew just serving meals
and looking glamourous, Emirates crew are trained to manage a range of
situations on board, and this includes learning essential life-saving skills.
Using a combination of practical, in-situ, classroom and online learning, new
recruits are taught invaluable lessons which prepare them for life, and to save
the lives of others.
What exactly do they learn?
Medical training is provided to new cabin crew on all aspects of
first aid including dealing with a collapsed casualty who has fainted, managing
choking, recognizing 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. 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.
The new recruits are schooled in the life-saving skills of
cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), where they practice on patient simulation
mannequins, and on how to use an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) machine
properly. Using a specially designed medical mannequin, cabin crew also
experience what it’s like to deliver a newborn baby on board, as well as
managing death. All training is provided by certified aviation first aid
instructors, in the world-class training facility - Emirates Cabin Crew
Training Centre in Dubai.
Do they actually save lives?
In July 2022 alone, Emirates cabin crew saved two passengers from
cardiac arrest on two different flights. A potentially fatal incident, cardiac
arrest causes the heart to suddenly stop beating. The lack of blood flow to the
brain and other organs can cause a person to lose consciousness, become
disabled or die if not treated immediately. Emirates cabin crew used a
combination of CPR techniques and a defibrillator to save both passengers’
lives and kept them stable until they could receive medical attention from
emergency services on the ground. Both passengers are now recovering well.
What support is in place for the cabin crew?
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, who are available 24/7 by satellite
communication to support and advise crew around the world on medical incidents
on board.
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 also learn how to break difficult news when required. After any incident,
the cabin crew are also provided with support for their own mental health,
through Emirates’ Employee Assistance Programme, the Peer Support service, and
Sehaty – Emirates’ employee wellbeing program.
Cabin crew knowledge and skills are put to the test each year at a
recurrent training, and crew are required to complete a 1.5-hour online course,
2-hour practical session for CPR, AED, severe bleeding, and severe allergy
management, with assessments for each. The experienced crew also participate in
a flight simulation exercise annually to ensure they are fully equipped to
handle any medical incidents and their knowledge is regularly refreshed.
Putting First Aid into action
Flying with the world’s largest airline, Emirates cabin crew
enjoy non-stop new adventures as they travel to over 150 cities across 85
countries. Many Emirates cabin crew describe the role as ‘the best job in the
world’ - not only because they deliver award-winning service at 40,000 feet and
the unique lifestyle that comes with the job, but because they also discover
their own heroic potential through life-saving skills and emergency management.
Having access to Emirates aviation first aid training helps new recruits
develop their communication skills, initiative and leadership qualities, the
ability to work effectively as a team, the focus to stay mentally strong and
calm to work effectively under pressure, and – how to save and protect the
lives of others.
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