Mr. Schweigkofler, you don't have to complain about the lack of rescue lanes.

But there are certainly other problems that you were confronted with as an emergency doctor on board a rescue helicopter.

Marie Lisa Kehler

Deputy head of the regional section of the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.

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In fact, we have other challenges to overcome.

For example, we cannot land everywhere.

The weather has to be right.

There were also missions that we had to cancel because visibility was getting too bad.

Air rescue is not only fun, it also involves risks for everyone involved.

Safety always comes first.

It doesn't help if we have an accident on the way to the scene of the accident.

Is working in a helicopter different than working on the ground?

The logistical aspects that you have to take into account as an emergency doctor are significantly higher in air rescue.

We must do everything we can to ensure that certain situations do not arise in the first place.

What kind of situations are we talking about?

There's not really much you can do in the helicopter during transport other than give some medicine.

That means I have to stabilize and care for the patient before departure so that no critical situation arises.

We can't just stop mid-air.

You have to explain that in more detail.

If I'm considering whether I need to intubate a patient, i.e. ventilate it, and it's a borderline decision, then I'm more generous in air rescue.

Because I know that if the patient's condition deteriorates during transport, I have no way of making up for the treatment step.

Something like that only works on television, in series like “Medicopter”.

Sometimes a patient gives birth to a child in a helicopter.

We would try to avoid such a situation.

But if you can hardly treat during transport, that sounds like a disadvantage for the patients, doesn't it?

There are more benefits.

We can be deployed quickly and nationwide.

For example, we can fly to the rear Wetterau in minutes, where others would have to drive forever.

And we can bring the patient to the special clinic that he needs in a very targeted manner, regardless of the specialty.

Due to the frequency of operations - they are called more often in air rescue to serious traffic accidents than when they are deployed in ground rescue - they usually have really experienced emergency doctors in air rescue.

Unlike their colleagues on the ground, they are not called out for minor injuries, tick bites or slight stomach pains.

You have seen many bad traffic accidents.

Are there any assignments that you particularly like to look back on?

If we only had negative stakes, none of us could process it mentally.

I look back fondly on most of the missions.

Whenever we were able to help a patient, it was always a good effort for me.

What do you appreciate about working high in the air?

This is real teamwork.

All three of us, i.e. the paramedic, the pilot and the emergency doctor, depend on each other, we have our roles, but we have to work closely together.

Also, if it's a nice day, not too hot, and it's not 40 degrees in the helicopter, and you're flying over the skyline in the evening at dusk, it's all worth it.

Other people pay a lot of money for this.