(Phoenix, AZ) -- A 71 year old man has become the ninth person saved at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport with an Automated External Defibrillator, or AED. The man was pushing his wife in a wheelchair near gate A-27 in Terminal 4 on September 28, when he collapsed. An off-duty paramedic and off-duty nurse rushed to his aid. They found a nearby AED unit and pulled it off the wall.

Sky Harbor Terminal Operations Aide, Bill Wisniewski rushed to the gate area to help. The man was unconscious with no sign of respiration or heartbeat. The off-duty nurse and Bill worked together to connect the AED unit to the man. The AED evaluated the man's condition, and advised a shock. After the AED shock was applied, an intermittent heartbeat was established. The off-duty paramedic began CPR on the man. At the request of the nurse, Bill accompanied an America West Airlines flight attendant onto a nearby plane to retrieve oxygen for the patient. The off-duty paramedic applied the oxygen.

When Phoenix firefighters and police officers arrived, the man's condition had improved so much that he was attempting to talk to rescuers. He was taken to St. Luke's Medical Center for treatment.

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport has more than 55 Automated External Defibrillators available in public areas and employee work spaces. In addition, many Phoenix police officers carry AED units on their bicycles at the airport. Sky Harbor began its AED program in December of 2000.