Press Releases
January 28, 2010 | DRF Luftrettung flew 40,375 missions in 2009
In 2009 the air rescue organisation DRF Luftrettung flew a total of 40,375 missions, involving helicopter missions at 30 HEMS bases in Germany, Austria and Italy as well as worldwide repatriations with its ambulance aircraft.
In Germany alone the crews were alerted to 33,731 missions, meaning a rise of 4 % compared to the year before.
“The rescueing of human life is time dependent. For several years the German health system has been undergoing structural changes, for example a specialisation of clinics. In order to provide an optimal patient treatment in suitable hospitals a fast means of transportation is necessary. Therefore the use of helicopters has a crucial advantage, especially in rural areas”, emphasizes Steffen Lutz, General Manager of DRF Luftrettung.
In Germany DRF Luftrettung operates 28 HEMS bases. On numerous occasions in 2009 its helicopters were alerted to patients with cardiovascular diseases (16%) and apoplexy (12%). In 12% of all cases the helicopters in Germany were alerted to traffic and work accidents. 1,888 times the medical crews of the DRF Luftrettung provided emergency medical care for children.
At two HEMS bases in Austria and 12 HEMS bases in Italy DRF Luftrettung flew 5,734 helicopter missions in 2009. Furthermore, the cross-border air rescue between Germany and Denmark has been further developed. The helicopter with the call sign “Christoph Europa 5”, which is based near the German-Danish border, flew 981 missions altogether and 111 in Denmark alone.
In the field of worldwide ambulance flights, DRF Luftrettung together with LAR (Luxembourg Air Rescue) conducted 794 repatriations under the name of EAA (European Air Ambulance). With their six ambulance aircraft they flew to 78 countries worldwide. These repatriation flights were coordinated by the Mission Control Center MCC at the airport Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden in Germany. The experienced dispatchers can be reached 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, under the emergency telephone number +49-(0)711-7007-7007.
General information about DRF Luftrettung
At 30 HEMS bases in Germany and Austria DRF Luftrettung is currently operating over 50 helicopters for emergency rescue and the transport of intensive care patients between clinics, at eight HEMS bases 24/7. In total approximately 550 emergency physicians, 250 paramedics, 180 pilots and 70 technicians are on duty for DRF Luftrettung.
DRF Luftrettung consists of a non-profit sponsoring association, a foundation under civil law and a non-profit corporation with the subsidiaries of the latter. The foundation, which is controlled by the Regional Council (Regierungspräsidium) of Stuttgart, supervises the operative work of the non profit corporation. To finance its work DRF Luftrettung depends on the aid of the approximately 500,000 supporting members and of donators.
