Surgeon general helps passenger during medical emergency on Jackson flight

During a Wednesday afternoon flight from Atlanta to Jackson, the U.S. surgeon general tweeted that he was able to assist a passenger with a "medical emergency."

U.S. Surgeon General Jerome M. Adams tweeted the following at 3:44 p.m.: "On my @Delta flight to Jackson, Mississippi (by way of Atlanta), and they asked if there was a Doctor on board to help with a medical emergency — why yes — yes there was. Patient doing well and like a good #USPHS officer, I was glad to be able to assist!"

The surgeon general oversees the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, a group of more than 6,700 uniformed officer public health professionals.

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Delta Airlines tweeted back to Adams: "Hello, Wow! We certainly thank you for volunteering as well as your service. Thank you so much for sharing this with us. *HRO"

Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant later tweeted back: “Nice job, Dr. Adams!”

Details about the emergency and the patient's condition weren't immediately available Wednesday afternoon. 

The Associated Press later reported that, according to Kate Migliaccio-Grabill, a Department of Health and Human Services spokeswoman, a person lost consciousness when the plane was on the ground in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Adams and two nurses responded.

The patient woke up, and Adams determined it was best for the plane to return to the gate and for the patient to go to a hospital for further evaluation. Adams also called the patient’s spouse to explain what happened, the spokeswoman said.

Adams, an anesthesiologist, was nominated to his post in June by President Donald Trump and confirmed by Congress in August. He took office on Sept. 5.

He was flying to Jackson to visit the University of Mississippi Medical Center Thursday to discuss the opioid epidemic and what steps the administration and federal government are taking to address it, according to UMMC officials.

He will be joined by Bryant and a panel of experts who will discuss how the epidemic is impacting the state, and what steps local government and communities are doing to address it.