Plane Down!

If you don't travel much, the news about the US Air flight going into the Hudson probably didn't make much of an impact. But if you travel as much as I do, your mind naturally wonders what you would do, how would you handle it. The stories of some passengers helping, others shoving to escape, still others panicked into immobility. The rightful praise of pilot and crew ( I always have to remind myself that the cabin crew is there for our safety, not waitresses at 30,000 ft.) These stories always make me wonder how I would react.

I have always been pretty good in emergencies, my daughter's health issues, thinking in the midst of car crashes, helping others who are in distress.
Reminds me of a story at a church I was at not long ago. We had a member who was prone to blackouts. He was a sizable guy and when it hit, would just collapse on the floor, eyes rolled up in his head, total collapse. He would literally just puddle down to the floor. One Sunday he looked a little pale, left the assembly and walked into the foyer. I followed to make sure he was okay, and just as I caught up to him, he went down like dropping a bag of sand off the end of the truck. I tried to catch him, but let me say, you don't "catch" a 300 lb. guy unless you are looking for hernia surgery, you slow him down a little. One of the elders had followed us out as well, we will call him Scott. Scott's eyes popped wide open, and as I knelt to check on the fallen member, Scott did one of the funniest things I have ever seen. Scott looked like he was tethered on both sides and as his brain tried to give instructions he would start one way, be brought up short like a watch dog on a leash, then jerk the other direction, only to be yanked short on that side as well. I looked at him and told him to go get Dr. so and so, who was in that (my head nodding in the direction Scott needed to go) direction. The instructions apparently untethered the poor guy and he headed out. I have chuckled about that ever since. But it brings me to the real point.

When I board I always fight the temptation to turn to the passenger next to me and say, "My name is Don, thought we might get to know each other a little, in case we die on this plane together." My bride thinks this is rude. However, it might open up some in-depth theological discussions. But I try to sit in the exit row seats (if not upgraded) It just makes me feel better to know that I will be thinking about getting the door open, not "Scott" trying to figure out which way to go. The one story from the US Air event that impressed me was the exit row passenger that spent his time looking at the emergency card, so when the plane hit, he was ready. Instead of praying (I'm for prayer, so ease up on the emails) he was getting ready, and knew what to do as soon as the impact was over. Just as an aside, a life of prayer is better than a panicked, last ditch effort at prayer in the final moments (I wonder if God's prayer email system handles these last minute attempts as spam?).

Anyway, I also make sure the cabin crew sees my Platinum Executive luggage tag, just in case they are profiling passengers.

The guy at church was okay. When he came to, he wanted to drive himself home, we, uh, insisted on driving him home. I have no idea if Scott recovered, but at least we got him out of the foyer so we could help the fallen. Hmmm, get the elders out of the way so we can help the fallen, interesting idea.

Anyway, I hope my flight this afternoon goes smoothly,
Godspeed to the rest of you.
Don