U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz, the Democrat of Hawaii, has introduced the Airplane Kids In Transition Safety Act of 2016, legislation his office says would urge the Federal Aviation Administration “to update its regulations regarding the medications and equipment required to be carried in airplane medical kits in order to better serve children in-flight.”

U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) is the co-introducer.

“Every year, airplane medical kits help save lives, but today these kits aren’t adequately equipped to help treat kids during an emergency,” Schatz said in a press release.  “Our bill requires the FAA to update its rules to ensure that every airline has the basic medical equipment to help kids when they need it the most.”

Schatz’s office says the current contents of emergency medical kits onboard commercial airplanes “are outdated and do not contain appropriate medications and devices for treating children. Children make up 25 percent of the nation’s population and are more vulnerable than adults in the case of an emergency.”

Safe for child passengers?
Safe for child passengers? Courtesy: Hawaiian Airlines

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