Narrative:

Flight attendant called from the back and said a passenger felt ill and they were giving him first aid oxygen. I said to keep me posted and let me know if he needed the paramedics at the gate. She came back later and said the passenger was much improved -- no paramedics necessary, so we proceeded without declaring an emergency. Imagine my surprise when we arrived in mem and one of the other flight attendants came to me and said the passenger had actually fallen twice (passed out?) and had to be helped off the aircraft because he was so faint? If ever there was a passenger who needed paramedics at the gate, it was probably this one. I think flight attendants should probably be trained more completely to recognize the differences between these sits, or at the very least be told that 'if in doubt, have the paramedics meet the plane on arrival.' it could save someone's life if they're having a not-too-obvious heart attack or stroke.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT ATTENDANT DOES NOT RECOGNIZE THE SERIOUSNESS OF A PAX ILLNESS AND DOES NOT INFORM THE FLC.

Narrative: FLT ATTENDANT CALLED FROM THE BACK AND SAID A PAX FELT ILL AND THEY WERE GIVING HIM FIRST AID OXYGEN. I SAID TO KEEP ME POSTED AND LET ME KNOW IF HE NEEDED THE PARAMEDICS AT THE GATE. SHE CAME BACK LATER AND SAID THE PAX WAS MUCH IMPROVED -- NO PARAMEDICS NECESSARY, SO WE PROCEEDED WITHOUT DECLARING AN EMER. IMAGINE MY SURPRISE WHEN WE ARRIVED IN MEM AND ONE OF THE OTHER FLT ATTENDANTS CAME TO ME AND SAID THE PAX HAD ACTUALLY FALLEN TWICE (PASSED OUT?) AND HAD TO BE HELPED OFF THE ACFT BECAUSE HE WAS SO FAINT? IF EVER THERE WAS A PAX WHO NEEDED PARAMEDICS AT THE GATE, IT WAS PROBABLY THIS ONE. I THINK FLT ATTENDANTS SHOULD PROBABLY BE TRAINED MORE COMPLETELY TO RECOGNIZE THE DIFFERENCES BTWN THESE SITS, OR AT THE VERY LEAST BE TOLD THAT 'IF IN DOUBT, HAVE THE PARAMEDICS MEET THE PLANE ON ARR.' IT COULD SAVE SOMEONE'S LIFE IF THEY'RE HAVING A NOT-TOO-OBVIOUS HEART ATTACK OR STROKE.

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.