12^th Life Saved at Phoenix Sky Harbor with AED

Phoenix, Arizona – A 74-year-old visitor is alive today thanks to the quick action of airline passengers and a Southwest Airlines employee using an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. The 74-year-old woman was standing near gate C4 in Terminal 4 at Sky Harbor Sunday afternoon when she collapsed. Several passengers rushed to her aid. Luckily, one of those passengers was a doctor from Texas and another was a registered nurse from California.

While the Sky Harbor Communications Center dispatched police and firefighters, the passengers performed CPR on the woman. Southwest Airlines Customer Service Supervisor, Wendy Stodghill located the nearest AED on the wall in Terminal 4. The passengers and Stodghill used the AED to restore the woman’s pulse shortly before police officers and firefighters arrived on the scene. The 74 year old woman was conscious by the time she arrived at the hospital. Police, firefighters and hospital physicians say the quick action and use of the AED by the passengers and Southwest Airlines employee saved the woman’s life.

This is the 12^th time a life has been saved with an AED at Sky Harbor since December 2000, when the devices were installed. Sky Harbor has more than 55 AED’s available in public areas and employee work spaces. Officers with the Phoenix Police Airport Bureau bicycle team also carry AED’s with them at the airport.