Passenger's Cardiac Arrest Leads to "Shocking" Change at MIA
After a man went into cardiac arrest in the passport line, more defibrillators are being added
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CHICAGO - NOVEMBER 12: A traveler passes an Automated External Defibrillator in Terminal 1 November 12, 2003 at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago. An Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is a user-friendly device that when used properly on a person suffering a sudden cardiac arrest administers an electric shock to the heart. Its built-in microprocessor then assesses the patient's heart rhythm, judging whether more defibrillation would be needed. The Chicago Airport System implemented the first public-access defibrillation program at all its airports, including O'Hare International Airport. Defibrillators are strategically located throughout the airport terminals within a one-minute walk from any point in the airport. The units are in cabinets that are directly linked to the City of Chicago's emergency medical services. (Photo by Tim Boyle/Getty Images)
The passport security and customs area at Miami International Airport, is now equipped to handle a cardiac arrest. That wasn't the case May 22nd when an international traveler collapsed.
This passenger, who wishes to remain anonymous, arrived at MIA from Paris. Luckily, on his same flight was a renowned cardiologist from the University of Miami, who ended up helping save his life in the passport line.
Dr. Robert Myerburg said he heard a woman screaming and saw a man on the floor. When Dr. Myerburg got to him, he didn’t have a pulse. He immediately started CPR and asked a guard for a defibrillator to shock the man’s heart back into rhythm.
Dr. Meyerburg is a leader in getting emergency heart defibrillators in public places like the airport. There are 30 in terminals across MIA, but, as he found out that day, there were none inside the large and isolated federal security area where international arrivals are first processed.
By the time someone was able to bring him a defibrillator, a fire rescue crew had arrived and the passenger was taken to UM Hospital.
Why wasn't there an AED inside the passport and customs area at MIA?
"We try to strategically place them where there is high passenger travel all the time," said airport fire chief Levi Thomas.
He said the passport and customs areas are not as consistently busy as domestic terminals. If you look at all travelers that came through MIA in 2009, 15.9 million were international and 17.9 were domestic, according to Mark Henderson from the Aviation Department.
According to the airport fire chief, 15 additional defibrillators will soon be installed at MIA. But as of right now, Ft. Lauderdale Hollywood International, which is a smaller airport , has more defibrillators than Miami, and does have at least one in the passport and customs area.
Posted Wednesday, Jun 30, 2010 - 6:58 PM EST
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