Emergency first aid kit in aircraft was same as first aid kit.

Attributes
ACN	136724
Time
Date	199002
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : atl
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	136724
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 125 flight time total : 18000
ASRS Report	136746
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

During flight, from dtw to mco at 33,000', during cruise, a passenger became ill with chest pains and required medical attention. The crew opened the kit placed in the position for the emergency medical kit (emk) and found that it was, in fact, a first aid kit. The first aid kit (fak) was sealed and wrapped exactly like the emk and, as both are colored white and are approximately the same size, was easily mistaken for the emk. Fortunately the passenger was not seriously ill and didn't require emergency care, but I would recommend giving the emergency medical kit a distinctive color, possibly red or orange so it is not so easily confused with the first aid kits. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: the kit situation was reported to our company and they immediately checked all other aircraft for proper kit. The emergency kit contains some drugs, etc, that the emergency fak does not have. We must have a doctor on board and we must call for permission to open the kit for the doctor's use.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMERGENCY FIRST AID KIT IN ACFT WAS SAME AS FIRST AID KIT.

Narrative: DURING FLT, FROM DTW TO MCO AT 33,000', DURING CRUISE, A PAX BECAME ILL WITH CHEST PAINS AND REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTN. THE CREW OPENED THE KIT PLACED IN THE POSITION FOR THE EMER MEDICAL KIT (EMK) AND FOUND THAT IT WAS, IN FACT, A FIRST AID KIT. THE FIRST AID KIT (FAK) WAS SEALED AND WRAPPED EXACTLY LIKE THE EMK AND, AS BOTH ARE COLORED WHITE AND ARE APPROX THE SAME SIZE, WAS EASILY MISTAKEN FOR THE EMK. FORTUNATELY THE PAX WAS NOT SERIOUSLY ILL AND DIDN'T REQUIRE EMER CARE, BUT I WOULD RECOMMEND GIVING THE EMER MEDICAL KIT A DISTINCTIVE COLOR, POSSIBLY RED OR ORANGE SO IT IS NOT SO EASILY CONFUSED WITH THE FIRST AID KITS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: THE KIT SITUATION WAS REPORTED TO OUR COMPANY AND THEY IMMEDIATELY CHECKED ALL OTHER ACFT FOR PROPER KIT. THE EMER KIT CONTAINS SOME DRUGS, ETC, THAT THE EMER FAK DOES NOT HAVE. WE MUST HAVE A DOCTOR ON BOARD AND WE MUST CALL FOR PERMISSION TO OPEN THE KIT FOR THE DOCTOR'S USE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.