A B737-300 captain reported that a passenger illness caused him to declare an emergency in order to ...

Attributes
ACN	623209
Time
Date	200407
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : hacks
State Reference	WV
Altitude	msl single value : 28000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob.artcc artcc : zau.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 24 flight time total : 8900 flight time type : 2700
ASRS Report	623209
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	cabin event : passenger illness
Independent Detector	other other : 3 fa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Passenger Human Performance
Primary Problem	Passenger Human Performance

Narrative:

I was informed by #1 flight attendant that passenger in first class was having an allergic reaction. She was swelling up and had trouble breathing. I contacted dispatch and told the flight attendant to call and talk to company medical. We found 2 nurses on board. They were instructed by air carrier medical to administer a bendryl iv. Dispatch called me back and said medical had been in contact with the nurses and that it was ok to continue to ord. I informed ZOB that we could not accept any undue delays going to ord. They asked if I was declaring an emergency and, at that time, I said no. ZID then advised us that ZAU was aware of our situation and that delays were possible. We continued until talking to ZAU and they advised us that we could expect holding. We declared a medical emergency and received priority handling from ZAU. We landed without any problems and the paramedics met us at the gate.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 CAPT RPTED THAT A PAX ILLNESS CAUSED HIM TO DECLARE AN EMER IN ORDER TO RECEIVE PRIORITY HANDLING TO LAND AT THE PLANNED DEST OF ORD.

Narrative: I WAS INFORMED BY #1 FLT ATTENDANT THAT PAX IN FIRST CLASS WAS HAVING AN ALLERGIC REACTION. SHE WAS SWELLING UP AND HAD TROUBLE BREATHING. I CONTACTED DISPATCH AND TOLD THE FLT ATTENDANT TO CALL AND TALK TO COMPANY MEDICAL. WE FOUND 2 NURSES ON BOARD. THEY WERE INSTRUCTED BY ACR MEDICAL TO ADMINISTER A BENDRYL IV. DISPATCH CALLED ME BACK AND SAID MEDICAL HAD BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE NURSES AND THAT IT WAS OK TO CONTINUE TO ORD. I INFORMED ZOB THAT WE COULD NOT ACCEPT ANY UNDUE DELAYS GOING TO ORD. THEY ASKED IF I WAS DECLARING AN EMER AND, AT THAT TIME, I SAID NO. ZID THEN ADVISED US THAT ZAU WAS AWARE OF OUR SIT AND THAT DELAYS WERE POSSIBLE. WE CONTINUED UNTIL TALKING TO ZAU AND THEY ADVISED US THAT WE COULD EXPECT HOLDING. WE DECLARED A MEDICAL EMER AND RECEIVED PRIORITY HANDLING FROM ZAU. WE LANDED WITHOUT ANY PROBS AND THE PARAMEDICS MET US AT THE GATE.

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.

A B737-300 captain reported that a passenger illness caused him to declare an emergency in order to receive priority handling to land at the planned destination of ord.