London Luton Airport (LLA) has become the first UK airport to install kits for emergency cases of anaphylaxis along with mandatory training of all staff on how to deal with severe allergic reactions. The introduction of these kits appears to be setting a new standard of airport medical care by prioritising staff training and the accessibility of emergency treatment.
Luton Airport Makes Landmark Medical Decision
Designed to provide emergency medical care when required, anaphylaxis kits have been installed across several key areas within Luton Airport. This includes high-traffic areas such as the Security Hall, the Departure Lounge, Immigration and Baggage Reclaim.
By spreading kits across multiple locations, the airport hopes that emergency treatment will be immediately visible and accessible to staff and passersby alike, should a traveller or staff member go into anaphylactic shock.
The wall-mounted kits also come with a series of instructions for easy and quick use, similar to those found inside a defibrillator kit.
In addition to the roll-out of the kits themselves, all LLA staff are reportedly receiving mandatory training on how to effectively use the kits and deal with a severe allergic reaction.
Medical lead for Luton’s co-responder scheme, and aviation ambassador for the Department for Transport, David Gardner was instrumental in the successful installation of these kits:
“This is a fantastic example of how London Luton Airport continues to seek new, innovative ways to further enhance the health, safety and wellbeing of our staff and passengers. Our co-responder agreement with East of England Ambulance Service enabled us to identify this opportunity to support people living with allergies, as they travel through the airport.”
Around 2.5 million people in the UK have a known allergy; anaphylaxis is the most severe allergic reaction a person can have, and it can be fatal if not treated quickly enough.
LLA Partners with Kitt Medical to Fight Anaphylaxis
The kits that London Luton Airport has rolled out were provided by start-up company Kitt Medical. The company has deployed over 5,000 “Kitts” across schools and businesses in the UK and trained more than 65,000 staff on how to treat someone going through anaphylaxis.
A Kitt has been used to deliver emergency treatment in more than 50 severe allergic reactions to date.
Zak Marks, one of the co-founders of Kitt Medical, celebrated the achievement as someone with a severe allergy:
“As a young boy growing up with allergies – and still to this day as an adult, passing through an airport and flying can be one of the scariest things to do. Knowing that there are emergency adrenaline pens and trained staff as a result of our Anaphylaxis Kitt rollout across Luton Airport provides me – and I hope the millions of other allergy sufferers across the UK – with a great deal of comfort.”
Dan Cartwright, head of airfield operations at Luton Airport, also commented:
“London Luton Airport serves millions of passengers each year and our teams across the airport play a vital role in ensuring that everyone is safe. We’re proud to be the first UK airport to install Anaphylaxis Kitts. Initiatives such as this form a key part of our wider partnership with East of England Ambulance Service which sees LLA’s Fire and Rescue service trained to respond to the most serious medical emergencies within the airport boundary and ensures LLA staff are equipped with the skills to offer immediate medical support while waiting for ambulance crews to arrive.”
The installation of vital medical care in a major UK airport sets a new standard for passenger and staff safety and wellbeing, as well as encouraging other airports to get involved in similar initiatives.
What do you think of the installation of Anaphylaxis Kitts at Luton? Do you think other airports should do something similar? Let us know in the comments below.
