Air Malta has installed Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) on all its aircraft and on company premises.

The AED is a fully computerised machine that is used to deliver an electric shock to the heart of a casualty who is suffering from ventricular fibrillation which is the most common cause of cardiac arrest.  Prompt intervention with an AED can dramatically increase the chances of survival.

The Air Malta Safety Office, in conjunction with the Human Resources and Flight Services Departments selected this defibrillator for its simplicity of use and demonstrated reliability.  This AED has voice prompts to guide the user through the actions required to ensure safe defibrillation. 

Air Malta has also given additional training to all its cabin crew and some forty-five ground staff in the use of the AEDs and first aid principles in cardio pulmonary resuscitation.  This compliments the CPR training that cabin crew are given as a regular feature in their first aid training.

Sudden cardiac arrest is the most common cause of death from heart disease, accounting for more than 60% of all cardiac deaths.  The condition occurs in about one in a thousand people aged 35 years and older and can strike anyone, anywhere without warning or any previous symptoms.

The AED has already helped to save a life since its instalment when a passenger became ill on a flight from the UK. The AED was requested by a doctor who attended to the passenger, along with other medical kit which is now standard onboard all Air Malta aircraft.  The flight eventually had to make an emergency landing in Paris, however the use of the AED helped stabilise the patient’s condition prior to the arrival of the paramedics.

Once again, Air Malta is making a tangible commitment to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of its passengers and employees.