Life savers from the Southern Palatinate: Mobile rescuers become first responders!

Life savers from the Southern Palatinate: Mobile rescuers become first responders!

Southern Palatinate.A moving change is imminent: The “Mobile Rescuer” project is evolving and will now be known under the new name “Erretter”. This voluntary network consists of committed citizens from the districts of Germersheim and Südliche Weinstraße as well as the city of Landau who can be there in urgent emergencies. They are alerted via a special app so that they can provide first aid promptly before the emergency services arrive. This can be life-saving in critical situations.

With a successful combination of technology and human engagement, support for emergencies in the region has been optimized. The initiative has proven successful: since the system was introduced in 2016, there have been almost 5,000 alarms in the Southern Palatinate. The average time until the first rescuers arrived was just 4.47 minutes. This shows how important the proximity of first responders to the emergency scene is and how important their role is in the rescue system.

Gathering of the First Saviors

A thanksgiving and information evening recently took place in Essingen, where over 100 first-time rescuers came together. The event was recognized by representatives of the districts and the city. District Administrator Dietmar Seefeldt emphasized the importance of the commitment of these women and men: "They save lives in the Southern Palatinate. Their quick reaction can be decisive for a person's survival." This Lobston set the tone for the event, which also discussed technical innovations within the alarm system.

The switch to the new “KATRETTER” app is scheduled to be completed from the beginning of 2025, which will improve the current functions while maintaining the basic idea of ​​providing help as quickly as possible. This innovative app is already in use not only in the Southern Palatinate, but also in other regions, such as the Vorderpfalz and the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan region.

Another important point of the event was the future cooperation with Mobile Retter e.V., which will continue to carry out active volunteer management. This should ensure the reinforcement and improvement of the system, which was one of the first in Germany to be launched in 2016.

Training for future first responders

Application portals are available for all those who would like to become part of this valuable initiative in the future. Those interested can obtain information via emails to the respective districts: for the Südliche Weinstraße district and the city of Landau at kats@suedliche-weinstrasse.de and for the Germersheim district at bks@kreis-germersheim.de. The next training courses are planned for the beginning of 2025 and offer an opportunity to acquire the necessary knowledge and become part of the volunteer work.

The information centers in both districts provide additional information on their websites and can offer assistance. The Germersheim district website provides the necessary information about the initiative: www.kreis-germersheim.de/erstretter, while the Südliche Weinstraße district is under www.suedliche-weinstrasse.de/erstretter provides further information.