Rescue in Hamburg: Christoph Hansa will continue to fly until 2035!

Rescue in Hamburg: Christoph Hansa will continue to fly until 2035!

Air rescue in Hamburg can look forward to a positive turnaround: ADAC air rescue has won the EU-wide tender process run by the Hanseatic City of Hamburg. This means that the contract to operate the rescue helicopter “Christoph Hansa” will be extended for another ten years until the end of June 2035. This means that the proven rotorcraft, which has completed over 40,000 rescue flights since its first use in February 1990, remains in full use. This reports t online.

From the helipad in Boberg, the H145 not only brings emergency doctors quickly to various accident scenes, but also functions as a flying intensive care unit. Last year, the dedicated teams flew a total of 871 missions, including 49 with special winch rescue. Traffic accidents and cardiovascular emergencies are the main reasons for alarm. Almost 32 percent of the calls were due to injuries caused by accidents, while 30 percent of the alerts were due to cardiovascular problems. Neurological emergencies, such as strokes, were also common.

Innovations in action: winch rescue

An exciting upgrade is the equipping of the Christoph Hansa with a rescue winch, which has been used in interim operation since September 2022. Loud ADAC This winch results in a time advantage of up to 12 minutes compared to conventional operations. This technology makes it possible to send emergency doctors to places that are difficult to reach, be it in remote forests or on container bridges.

In the first few months of trial operation, 91 special operations were recorded, with winch rescue being of particular importance in cases of serious injuries such as resuscitation and suspected spinal fractures. Faster help has already become necessary in dramatic scenes, such as a seizure at Hamburg Central Station.

The team behind the rescue

The “Christoph Hansa” team includes three pilots, around 15 emergency doctors and five emergency paramedics who are available every day from 8 a.m. to sunset, but at the latest until 9 p.m. The operation is coordinated by the rescue control center of the Hamburg fire department via the emergency number 112. Thanks to this solid structure, ADAC Luftrettung in Hamburg can rely on over 50 rescue helicopters and 37 stations with extensive experience, which makes them an indispensable part of the German rescue service system.

Air rescue is a state matter in Germany. The first steps in this direction were taken in the 1960s, when increasing traffic accidents highlighted the need for air rescue. Nowadays, this system is primarily seen as a supplement to the ground-based rescue service. Since then, a functioning air rescue system has been established across the board and is operated by various organizations, such as the ADAC or the DRF.