Emirates is celebrating World First Aid Day this month by welcoming 3.000 new cabin crew members to its crew, who have completed an intense training program and are now equipped with the latest first aid skills.
As part of this year's highly successful recruitment campaign, Emirates has already recruited 3.000 new employees who have gone through eight weeks of intensive ab-initio training to become fully equipped cabin crew. The ab-initio period includes many courses in safety and service delivery, as well as crucial medical training. Emirates flight crew are trained to handle a wide variety of inflight situations that require even basic lifesaving skills. Using a combination of hands-on onsite training, classroom training, and online learning, new team members learn key skills that will thoroughly prepare them for such a role.
What exactly will cabin crew learn?
New flight attendants receive medical training in all aspects of first aid, including treating a patient in the event of fainting, dealing with breathing difficulties such as suffocation, asthma and hyperventilation, as well as treating immediate medical conditions such as chest pain and paralysis. low blood sugar, allergic reaction, deep vein thrombosis, barotrauma, decompression sickness and substance abuse. Crews are also taught how to deal with injuries such as fractures, burns and amputations, as well as infectious diseases, the importance of infection control procedures, and onboard hygiene.
Additionally, new team members learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and practice the correct use of an automated external defibrillator (AED) on simulation dummies. Using a specially designed medical dummy, cabin crew will experience what it's like to give birth to a newborn baby on board and what to do in the event of death. All training is delivered by certified aviation first aid instructors at the state-of-the-art Emirates Cabin Crew Training Center in Dubai.
A real life saver
In July 2022 alone, Emirates cabin crew saved the lives of two passengers who suffered a heart attack on two separate flights. In this serious condition, sudden cardiac arrest occurs. Insufficient blood flow to the brain and other organs can cause a person to lose consciousness, become partially paralyzed, or die if not treated promptly. Emirates cabin crew used a combination of CPR and defibrillator techniques to save the lives of both passengers and keep them stable until they received medical attention from the ground emergency services. Both passengers are now recovering.
Crew support
If a medical incident occurs on board, cabin crew have the full support of cabin crew (Captain/Pilot and First Officer/Co-Pilot) and ground crew. Ground Medical Support is a team based at Emirates headquarters, available 7/24 via satellite link to support crews around the world when needed and advise in case of onboard medical complications.
Psychologically, flight attendants receive training in obtaining permission to assist passengers, showing empathy to patients and their families, informing the affected person about all stages of the disease, and helping until the situation improves. They also learn how to convey a difficult message when needed. After any incident, cabin crew are also provided with support for their own mental health through Emirates' Employee Assistance Programme, Peer Support and Sehaty, Emirates' program to support employees with more mental stress.
The knowledge and skills of flight attendants are tested with repetitive training every year. Crew complete the 1,5-hour online course, a two-hour hands-on session for CPR, AEDs, severe bleeding management, and severe allergies, and adequate ratings are required for each of these areas. Experienced crew also participate in flight simulation exercises every year to ensure they are fully equipped to deal with any medical incident and their knowledge is regularly refreshed.
As the world's largest international airline, Emirates' cabin crew flies to more than 85 cities in 150 countries, always experiencing new adventures. Many Emirates flight attendants describe the job as “the best job in the world” – not only because they provide award-winning service 12km above ground and the unique lifestyle that comes with the job, but also because they discover their own potential, skills in saving lives and dealing with extraordinary events. . Access to Emirates First Aid training helps new hires develop their communication skills, initiative and leadership.
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