Yemeni Capt passed away today at LHR

[Murray_NN]

A Yemeni Capt died of a heart attack at Heathrow today. He was 40 years old.
I was working at a control post near the incident and heard all the radio conversation between the control centre and people on the scene. BAA security were dealing with the incident. The incident happened at control post 8 while the Capt was inside a coach waiting to disembark for security search. Initially I think they called BA's staff ambulance to attend the scene, this was because the internal ambulance was on another call. But surprisingly BA ambulance did no attend, as the patient was not a BA employee. I'm just thinking if BA ambulance could have saved his life tonight by attending straightaway. They were only about 3-5 mins away from the scene. Unfortunatly the wait was too long for the outside ambulance which arrived almost 20 minutes later.

BAA security carried out CPR and tried their utmost to save his life. But they were let down tonight by BA's policy of staff only ambulance.

A sad day at work :(

[silverknapper]

I'm sorry to hear this. RIP. If this is true there should be heads rolling. I'm sure BA's paramedics would have stopped at nothing to save him - who prevented them leaving? I only hope this is not true. Otherwise what hope have we all if we have an emergency on foreign land and they stick to "our" rules

[Murray_NN]

I work for BAA and can confirm that he died on the scene. His body was taken to Hillingdon Hospital.

and

BA does have their own paramedics at LHR who respond to BA staff emergencies.

[411A]

What goes around comes around...wonder if BA crews will have a "problem" down line now?

[Andu]

411A, I think it will come as no surprise to you to learn than many if not most of the regulars on this site think you are a sorry-assed boor.

Myself, I’ve had the odd chuckle at some of the debate your contrary opinions have engendered. However, can I ask what in the world you’re on about commenting on this thread? Is it a sickness with you? Do you feel compelled to comment on absolutely everything you read here, no matter how inappropriate your comment may be and how little you may know of the subject?

I may have a very inaccurate picture of you, but I picture in one of those closed gate, seniors-only, plastic ‘communities’ planted out in the Arizona desert as far from the real world as you can place yourselves.

I also have a strong suspicion that the rest of the hapless residents in your particular community have been cheering ever since the day you discovered the Internet. Locked in your den annoying the bejeezus out of us and the users of who knows how many other chat rooms and bulletin boards, you’re not bothering them – as I’m sure you must, to distraction, every time you surface from your cave.

Condolences to the unfortunate Yemeni captain’s family.

[411A]

Andu---
Clearly you missed the point....BA pilots now may well have a problem obtaining timely medical attention down-route, if in LHR only BA staff are looked after. Another shortsighted BA idea perhaps?

[John Barnes]

Things never are the same as reported but if this case happened as reported BA'S policy handling first aid emergency's for BA staff only is one of the most shamefull things I have ever read. It is also against the the most basic human behaviour to help a person in distress. SHAME ON BA!!!!!!!!
Any american lawyers on the site???

[neutral]

Andu - I belive you got the point exactly. I find it hard to believe that BA, or anyone else, would not respond to any medical emergency. 411A's suggestion that the rest of the world would retaliate in kind, is repugnant. But then, I don't believe anyone would be surprised by his post -- he revels in the suffering of others.

I pity his employees, if in fact, he is starting an airline.

By the way, you're right on the mark. His part of town is filled with retirees.

[Yak Hunt]

This is so appalling and brings to light what a greedy, inhumane and money orientated cesspit LHR is. Truly the worst in human nature exposed. Shame on them.

[Unwell_Raptor]

Am I the only one to suspect the dead hand of the lawyers here? Take the scenario that the BA (or whoever's) ambulance attends a United skipper (who lives in CA, and whose brother in law is an attorney) and the medics get it wrong - huge lawsuit is certain.

It is not unknown for doctors to decline to identify themselves at the scene of an emergency, for fear of litigation.

Stinks doesn't it?

[411A]

For those that think that retaliation in kind down-route would be extreme, consider the following--
Retired BA captain working for a South Asian airline, passing thru customs in JED a few years ago (BA crew tag still attached to suitcase) had the whole contents dumped on the floor. He mentioned that this had happened several times as SV crews were routinely hassled at LHR.
The short-sighted attitude of BA staff will absolutely be noted and acted upon, in a very negative way toward BA crews elsewhere.

[Snubber]

Why dont you do the world a favour and top yourself 411A.

[Murray_NN]

At LHR there is also another private ambulance service that could have attended yesterday. They are called Heathrow Air Ambulance and their paramedics are trained to same standards as London Ambulance if not any better. They are also better equipped and carry the latest medical aids. But unfortunatly they are not called upon either because they are private and cost more than the ordinary ambulance.

How worthless a human life has become?

[rover2701]

Is there anyone from BA out there who would care to respond to this thread. Please tell us why BA ambulance did not attend this poor man. What would have happened if it was a BA pax who was in need. Would BA have attended.

:confused: :confused: :confused:

[Hand Solo]

Before we go down another thread of BA slagging can I draw your attention to the initial posting:

"Initially I think they called BA's staff ambulance to attend the scene"

Wouldn't it better to spare the vitriol until someone can confirm that:

a: BA actually own an ambulance.
b: That the crew of such ambulance, if it exists, are actually paramedics and that the ambulance is equipped for emergencies and isnt just a glorified bus for carrying out-patients and walking wounded.

Personally I've never heard of this crack team of BA paramedics, and if they did exist I'm sure we'd hear about them every week in Pravda. Its well known that if a BA pax requires medical assistance at LHR then you have to call a London Ambulance. We don't even have nurses at LHR anymore.

[Murray_NN]

Hand Solo:

Airways One is the call sign for BA ambulance at LHR and they only attend to BA employees.

They are fully trained as paramedics and yes we still have nurses at Heathrow based in Queens Building called the Occupational Health Centre. (they charge ten pounds to your company to check you out!!!)

[charliecossie]

BA does have an ambulance (unless the cost cuts have got it) but it's based over at the engineering base. Hardly convenient for the central area.
Anyone of you anti-BA twats considered that the BA ambulance might also have been on a job?
There's another private ambulance at LHR (can't remember their name) - did they attend?

[mainfrog2]

Well said Charliecossie. Seems like some people on this thread shoot first ask questions later. Regardless of what happened it's very sad.

[caulfield]

To think that such a thing could happen in the "heart of western civilization"...this is just typical of Britain today.I am sure the poor Captain would have received far better in his home country.
It begs the question.."What does it mean to be British today?"Answer:"nothing...zero"
411's comments are quite appropiate...
I would add however,that if the paramedics had got the call,I am sure they would have attended..paramedics are top people and I know they wouldnt forego their Hippocratic oath.At least the paramedics I have met..I dont know about BA's.

[CAT MAN]

Steady on there "ANDU"...Please do not speak for the rest of us when castigating a fellow contibutor...I send my condolenses and best wishes to the family of the deceased..."411A"...It serves no purpose to speculate on the level of medical care B.A. flight crews might expect arising out of any eventuality in the future...I just hope if it were to happen to me or any crewmember or pax.THE BEST MEDICAL CARE WOULD BE AVAILABLE...

[Ibis]

As a former voluntaty prametic with the RED CROSS I feel disgusted with the attitude with which these organisations are working. If anybody, who is trained in first aid / CPR and called themself a professionals is NOT giving assistance, he/she should be charged and feel the full power of the law (manslaughter or whatever is appropriate).

[CAT MAN]

I think you got it in one there "IBIS"

[Hand Solo]

Er hello? I think I few people need to pull ther heads out of there r soles here, starting with Caulfield! If I'm not mistaken the Yemen is one of the most backwards countries in the Middle East, and that whole region is pretty backwards. Somehow I doubt the poor guy would receive better treatment in the third world. Nobody here knows the facts of the case and to cast aspersions on the professionalism of the BA paramedics based on hearsay alone is unfair. Do you know for a fact that these BA paramedics even got the message about the incident or its gravity? I suppose you think they just went back to doing the crossword and had a good laugh about it!

[Murray_NN]

charliecossie:

I'm certainly not an Anti-BA ****!!!
I'm just highlighting what happened at LHR and should the BA paramedics attended, the poor Capt might have had the chance to thank them for saving his life.

I dont wish this to happen to anyone but just picture yourself in his shoes!

any call that is made for an ambulance at LHR is relayed to BA medics too and they have blue lights which give them priority access at security gates and over the aprons and maneuvering area too.

[Captain Airclues]

BA do own an ambulance, but it is based at the engineering base, which is several miles from the terminals. It is required by UK Health and Safety rules, due to the large number of people working in the area, and the type of work that they do.
Although primarily for BA employees, they will respond to any emergency when requested to do so. Any incident requiring emergency assistance is co-ordinated by the BAA and the London Ambulance Service. They assess the availability and response times of the various facilities that are available and react accordingly. If they decide to utilise the BA ambulance, then that facility must be immediately replaced by other resources.
I gather that in this case it was decided that the fastest reponse, considering the location and the facilities available, was by the London Ambulance Service.
I have spoken to the BA paramedics. They are professional, caring people, and are deeply offended by any suggestion that they would refuse to respond to anyone in need.

Airclues

[Mr moto]

It is always sad when a fellow pilot dies.

On the other issue, where I live (Europe) it is an offence not to give appropriate first aid if one is trained to do so. That is civil law and applies to everyone. If it turns out to be the case that the BA ambulance was nearby, was alerted and refused to attend that certainly would put BA in an awkward position!

I feel sure that a trained paramedic wouldn't refuse regardless of what his job description was!

[Notso Fantastic]

Hold it people! Is it BA's duty to provide general ambulance care for the general public within Heathrow? I'd have thought it was BAA's duty or the local emergency services who benefit from the revenue Heathrow brings the local community. Why does BA get a slagging- it is not BA's responsibility? As far as I know, BA does not have an ambulance based in the central area that could have rapidly attended and it is not BA's responsibility to provide this sort of service!. Abuse all you like, but BA is a private airline!

[411A]

BA a "Private airline"----the lad has gone daft, me thinks.

[Hand Solo]

BA is a private airline and has no more obligation to provide medical services to the public than any other airline operating into LHR. Airclues post said it all- the ambulance is only dispatched at the request of the London Ambulance Service controllers, trained personnel who are more qualified to decide on the best course of action than a couple of BAA security guards. If LAS decide that one of their vehicles is better placed then who are any of us to argue? Case closed. Unless of course you think the LAS and BA are in cahoots now.

[P22]

Isn't it sad that the death of a fellow aviator is used as an excuse for BA-bashing? Can a single ambulance, based several miles from the airport, really be expected to provide paramedic cover for one of the worlds biggest airports? I'm sure that everyone, including the captains own crew did all that they could, but unfortunately it is not always possible to save a heart attack victim. RIP

[EarlyGo]

This thread is missing the point. A person has died of a heart attack, yet the debate is centred on a rumour. Please show more respect to the deceased and his family, and perhaps once the facts are established a more reasoned discussion can take place.

How horrible to die in a foreign country, far away from home.

R.I.P.

[CR2]

http://www.pprune.org/cgibin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=1&t=015175

[Cahlibahn]

Don't the Fire and Rescue Service at LHR have paramedics?

[Hew Jampton]

No