Heroes on the Hudson…

I want to start out by letting everyone know that I was not flying yesterday, and thanks for all of the concerned texts and phone calls I received. I was working a double shift at my part time job and had a chance to take a break before the night shift. During my break I grabbed my phone and was shocked to have a couple missed phone calls and text messages. Since I had only been away from my phone for a couple hours, I started to freak out and think that something horrible had happened. After scanning the text messages and checking my voicemail, I became aware of the tragic plane crash of US Airways flight 1549. I immediately called my family to assure them that I wasn’t flying and was safe. My brother filled me in on the details of the crash and I was relieved to find out all the passengers and crew survived. I don’t think the whole situation really hit me until later that night when I had the chance to see the many news reports.

This incident has had me thinking and filled with mixed emotions….part of me is sad because I think about how horrible this tragedy could have ended. I think about how each person assumed it would be like any other uneventful flight. I can’t help but think…Would my instincts kick in? Would I have been able to safely evacuate an aircraft full of 150 passengers? Each year in recurrent training we practice planned and unplanned emergency landings and what actions we would take in each situation. We are taught that each time we sit on our jumpseat prior to take-off, we mentally reflect all of things we would need to say and do in the event of an emergency. I don’t think that I have ever really felt like I would need to use that training. I’ve always told myself that the likeliness of getting into a car crash is more likely than being in a plane crash and so I guess I’ve always had this sense of false security. Thankfully flight 1549 landed safely and all passengers and crew were safely evacuated.

As I was saying I’ve always had this sense of invincibility in flying. Now I have had my fair share of mechanical problems and precautionary landings, but I have never really felt like my life was in danger. My biggest fear was having a medical emergency on a flight, and not having any medical personnel to assist. Now don’t get me wrong I have been nervous a time or two about this or that, but never really thought that something tragic or potentially life threatening could happen to me. I guess I have been living in denial and this event has really brought things close to home. I fly for US Airways and on the same type of aircraft regularly, and I have even flown similar routes. Every time I see footage of the crash, my eyes well up with tears. I can’t help but think how tragic things could have ended. I hear all of the stories of the passengers and I can’t help but think of what must have been going through their minds the minutes before the impact.

I’ve noticed how most of the news reports have focused on captain “Sully”. I am impressed with his quick thinking and fantastic landing on the Hudson. I am a bit disappointed on the fact that they have not really mentioned his co-pilot or the flight attendants. The whole crew is responsible for safely landing and evacuating flight 1549. I am so proud of my fellow co-workers and want to thank them for a job well done!

I start thinking about after they survived the crash and what I would do if I was in their place. My biggest concern is how I would contact all of my friends and family. My cell phone is usually in my lunch bag as it doesn’t quite fit in my cute flight attendant uniform without looking like a girth on my hip. I’m not sure about you but the only phone number I know is my cell phone number, the rest are all saved in my phone. I guess maybe I should memorize a couple numbers just in case I’m separated from my phone and need to contact my family. This may sound a bit silly but the next thing I can’t help but thinking about is all of the things that I would need to have replaced and how much it would stink to be separated from my cell phone, I-pod, computer, camera, passport, and credit cards. The rest of the items wouldn’t really be a big deal some clothes, shoes, extra uniform pieces, books, toiletries, etc.

I send all of my thoughts and prayers to the crew and passengers from flight 1549, and I am thankful that everyone made it out safely. I hope that I am never in this type of situation, but I am thankful that I have been given the tools and knowledge to safely survive a crash.