Federal Register #FAA20269178

FAA Proposed Rule: Performance-Based Emergency Medical and First Aid Kit Requirements for Commercial Aircraft

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), part of the Department of Transportation, is proposing a rule to modernize emergency medical and first aid kit requirements for commercial aircraft. - Government Buyer: - Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Office of Aerospace Medicine - Scope of Rule: - Replaces fixed lists of kit contents with performance-based requirements - Emergency Medical Kits (EMK) must address nine life-threatening conditions, including opioid overdose, childbirth, and cardiac emergencies - First Aid Kits (FAK) requirements based on passenger seat count - Mandates at least one FAA-approved Automated External Defibrillator (AED) per aircraft - Products/Services Requested: - Emergency Medical Kit (no specific part number or OEM) - First Aid Kit (quantity varies by aircraft size) - Automated External Defibrillator (AED), must be FAA-approved and maintained per manufacturer specifications - Unique Requirements: - Kits must be practical for crewmembers to treat common onboard emergencies - Rule aims to reduce exemption petitions due to medication shortages and modernize medical supplies - Ongoing monitoring and updates required via operators' Safety Management Systems (SMS) - FAA will review and revise kit requirements and training every 5 years - No specific OEMs or vendors are named; the rule sets standards for future procurements by air carriers - Public comments are invited on the proposed changes

Description

The FAA proposes to eliminate the prescriptive list of required items in emergency medical kits and first aid kits on commercial aircraft and replace it with a performance-based requirement. This change aims to ensure the kits contain practical and sufficient contents to address the most common medical emergencies onboard. The proposal seeks to increase flexibility for operators while maintaining predictability in equipping onboard medical kits. It also removes an outdated reference to emergency medical kits modified in 2004. This action is in response to requirements in the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 and invites comments until October 5, 2026.

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