Anyone who has ever needed an ambulance knows how snail-slowly time passes until the rescuers finally arrive. Minutes pass like hours and every minute can mean the difference between life and death. In schwarzach, up to ten minutes can pass before the emergency physician arrives at the scene of the emergency.
Since june, however, the time it takes for the first helpers to arrive has often been shortened, because since june there has also been a "helper on site" (hvo) in schwarzach. Seven volunteers of the local red cross stand behind the new service. They have their own vehicle, which was ceremoniously put into service on saturday.
"Fantastic how much you have achieved here."
Raimund heiny BRK district emergency manager
The VW passat, which was purchased second-hand, contains the equipment needed to provide qualified assistance until the emergency services arrive. This includes respirator masks, oxygen and a defibrillator. In an emergency, the helper on the spot is at the patient’s side valuable minutes before the ambulance or the emergency doctor. In addition to taking immediate life-saving measures, he can already scout the situation and brief subsequent rescuers. A rough advantage is also his local knowledge.
On-call manager michael stapf reported that the hvo team from schwarzach has already been deployed 25 times since june. In addition to the area of the market town, a section of the B22 and the A3 are also part of the area of operation. His deputy, walter thiele, emphasized that in schwarzach far more time elapses before the rescue service arrives than in kitzingen or wurzburg, for example. This is especially true in bad weather conditions such as icy and snowy roads. However, the successful treatment and, in some cases, the survival of emergency patients depend on short response times. Here the hvo is a meaningful addition to the rescue service.
Well-trained, motivated troops
"Fantastic, how much you have done here," praised BRK district preparedness officer raimund heiny his colleagues. It takes a lot to be a volunteer 365 days a year for the safety of citizens. He is pleased to have a well-trained and highly motivated team in schwarzach. District chief officer carsten droll emphasized the good cooperation between the hvo and the local fire department. He expressed his sincere thanks to the market town of schwarzach for its financial support.
The municipality paid 5000 euros, about half the cost of the new vehicle. Mayor lothar nagel was pleased that the hvo has considerably improved safety in schwarzach. The grant was also a conscious decision to honor the many years of volunteer work by the local BRK team. Nagel mentioned the rescue service at festivals, the blood donor service, the active youth work and the participation in the vacation passport campaign.
Tank filling thanks to brakes
The vehicle was blessed by deacon lorenz kleinschnitz. Music was provided by members of the red cross youth team. Afterwards, around 150 citizens of schwarzach contributed their share to the further financing of the new service: the proceeds from the subsequent BRK brakeman’s party went to the hvo project.
Because the hvo service is a voluntary additional service, there are no benefits from health insurance companies or other cost bearers. This means that the emergency vehicle, fuel, equipment and consumables must be financed exclusively from donations. The helpers themselves work entirely on a voluntary basis, so that no personnel costs are incurred.
