PLT RPT; B737; LAX-ORD. ON ARR AT ORD; THE FRONT DOOR SLIDE CAME LOOSE AND ALMOST DEPLOYED. SAVED BY CABIN ATTENDANT #1. MAINT LOGBOOK ITEM.

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AS CAPT ON FLT FROM LAX TO ORD; I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE AND APPRECIATION TO #1 FLT ATTENDANT FOR HER QUICK THINKING AND ACTION TO PREVENT AN INADVERTENT SLIDE DEPLOYMENT DUE TO A MECHANICAL PROB WITH THE SLIDE COMPARTMENT AND SHROUDING. ON GATE ARR AND WITH THE DOORS PROPERLY DISARMED; THE #1 FLT ATTENDANT NOTICED THE L1 DOOR SLIDE DROPPING OUT OF THE PACKAGE COMPARTMENT. SHE THEN TOLD THE GATE AGENT TO HOLD THE DOOR IN ITS MID POS; WHILE BENDING DOWN AND HOLDING THE SLIDE FROM DROPPING UNTIL I COULD GET BACK AND HOLD THE SLIDE IN PLACE. WHEN I DID GET TO IT; THE GIRT BAR (ALTHOUGH PROPERLY DISARMED) WAS STUCK ON THE DOOR FRAME AND COULD EASILY HAVE DEPLOYED THE SLIDE; HAD SHE NOT GRABBED THE DOOR AND HELD IT; WHILE TELLING THE AGENT NOT TO OPEN IT ANY FURTHER. HER QUICK THINKING AND ACTIONS MOST CERTAINLY PREVENTED A SLIDE DEPLOYMENT AND CONSEQUENTIAL DELAY OR CANCELLATION FOR THE OUTBOUND FLT; AS WELL AS PREVENTING OTHER PROBS. THE SLIDE WAS WRITTEN UP; AND MAINT SAID A PIN CAME LOOSE AND THAT REF QUICK THINK AND ACTIONS BY FLT ATTENDANT; AFTER MAINT CONFIRMED THAT THE SLIDE COULD EASILY HAVE DEPLOYED. THEY DETERMINED THAT A PIN CAME LOOSE WHICH ALLOWED THE SLIDE TO DROP DOWN AND BE SUBJECT TO DEPLOYMENT; HAD THE FLT ATTENDANT NOT BEEN ALERT DURING THE DOOR OPENING PROCESS.