They provide quick help in an emergency: more than 50 first responders are currently on duty in the province of Salzburg. Paramedic Anton Planitzer will now be on duty as a first responder for the people of Ebene. The municipality of Eben is financing his equipment with a generous donation of around 5,000 euros.
“My wife has severe chest pain and shortness of breath. Can you come please?” The employees of the Red Cross control center take around 1,000 calls a day. They alert the nearest emergency services to provide assistance as quickly as possible. In the Eben region, a local First Responder is now dispatched at the same time as the rescue service: paramedic Anton Planitzer can reach the scene of the emergency even faster due to his geographical proximity and provides first aid until the rescue service arrives.
“We want to offer the best medical care”
Planitzer is equipped with an emergency backpack containing basic medical equipment, a defibrillator, a handheld radio and a smartphone. “The equipment of our First Responder costs around 5000 euros – and would not be financed without donations,” explains district manager Gerhard Wechselberger, “We would therefore like to thank the municipality of Eben for the generous financial support.”
The new First Responder is an important part of medical care for the municipality of Eben. “It is very important to me to provide the citizens of Eben with even better security in an emergency by using a First Responder,” confirms Eben Mayor Herbert Farmer , “We were therefore very happy to bear the costs for the equipment.”
Rapid deployment in an emergency
First Responder Anton Planitzer, who was born in Eben, is very familiar with his home community. He has been involved in the rescue service of the Red Cross Salzburg since 2019 and therefore brings extensive medical know-how with him. “It is very important to me to be able to help the people in my community in an emergency,” says Planitzer.
He is now one of more than 50 first responders in the state of Salzburg. The system was launched in 2014 and has since established itself as an important part of the rescue chain. Equipped with an emergency backpack, first responders provide qualified first aid and life-saving emergency measures, pass on situation reports to the Salzburg Red Cross control center and instruct the approaching rescue services.