DRF Luftrettung, September 23, 2020 - On September 17th, exactly 45 years ago, “Christoph 43” was alerted for the first time.
Over the years, the Karlsruhe rescue helicopter has become an important part of emergency rescue, as it is in use throughout Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate.
Especially in topographically difficult regions such as the Black Forest and the Palatinate Forest, the crews of "Christoph 43" can often be on the scene faster than ground-based rescue units.
With 1,233 missions in 2019, "Christoph 43" is one of the most busy helicopters of the DRF Luftrettung in Germany. In the first half of 2020, the crews were called to 570 missions.
Sebastian Geißert, head paramedic at DRF Luftrettung in Karlsruhe, explains the high number of deployments: “We cover an area of action with a radius of 60 kilometers. After the alarm from the control center, we are in the air within a maximum of two minutes. Usually serious illnesses such as strokes or heart attacks, but often leisure accidents, traffic accidents or work-related accidents involving forest workers are reasons to alert us. We are requested as a fast emergency doctor deliverer, primarily from the control centers in Karlsruhe, Ortenau, Landau and Mittelbaden, which are responsible for the Rastatt and Baden-Baden districts”.
Furthermore, "Christoph 43" is regularly requested by the city/towns of Freudenstadt, Calw, Pforzheim, Heilbronn and Rhein-Neckar.
Karlsruhe is the third oldest station of the DRF Luftrettung and used an Airbus EC135 helicopter.
Due to the new construction of the St. Vincentius Clinics, "Christoph 43" has been stationed at Karlsruhe / Baden-Baden Airport on an interim basis since January 2016.
“We hope that the new building, the first roof station in Baden-Württemberg, will be completed in the first half of 2021”, explains station manager Volker Buchmann, “so we can then return to our actual location.”
There are four pilots and six paramedics in total and 13 emergency doctors serving as the crew of "Christoph 43". The crew is available daily from 7:00 a.m. to sunset.