Christoph 54 of the DRF air rescue service during the Freiburg autumn winch training

This site is also available on: Deutsch

The crews of the DRF air rescue station in Freiburg conducted their annual autumn winch training last weekend. The Christoph 54 team, together with the mountain rescue services of the Black Forest and Württemberg, practiced the safe use of the rescue winch under realistic conditions.

For the first time, under the leadership of the DRF Academy, medical simulation units were integrated into the training, allowing emergency physicians and mountain rescuers to jointly practice patient care under realistic conditions. This new concept was tested as part of a pilot project and could be implemented at other DRF air rescue winch stations in the future.

The Christoph 54 team, together with the Black Forest and Württemberg mountain rescue services, trained in realistic scenarios using the rescue winch – both at the Roßkopf mountain near Freiburg and, due to strong winds, directly at the Freiburg station. In addition to the technical procedures, four medical scenarios were conducted simultaneously in two training groups – including the treatment of patients with spinal injuries, allergic shock, and stroke. Actors were used to make the training as realistic as possible. “During winch rescues, the paramedic takes on the role of the winch operator. This means they stand on the winch skid without being able to provide assistance at the scene. Therefore, it is crucial to intensively train the interaction between emergency physicians and mountain rescuers. Only by realistically simulating such scenarios are crews and emergency personnel able to act safely and effectively, even under extreme conditions,” explains Daniel Herschel, Medical Director of the DRF Academy.

Focus on cutting rescue

Another focus was on rope rescue: This involved practicing the rescue of a climber suspended from a rope, who was then freed from his predicament by air rescuers and a rescue winch. Due to the challenging weather conditions, the Freiburg fire department set up a training area with a turntable ladder at the DRF air rescue station, where the scenario could be realistically simulated.

The two-day training course served both to solidify procedures for winch rescues and to foster cooperation between air and mountain rescue teams. Pascal Schips, station manager of the Freiburg station, emphasizes: “Joint training with the mountain rescue service is indispensable for us. In an emergency, every second counts. The perfect teamwork of all involved saves lives.”

A quarter of a century of expertise in winch rescue

DRF Luftrettung (DRF Air Rescue) boasts decades of experience in winch rescue; this technology has been used by the red-and-white air rescuers for over 25 years. The rescue helicopter in Freiburg has been equipped with a rescue winch since 2019. The non-profit organization relies on state-of-the-art equipment, regular training, and close cooperation with partners such as the mountain rescue service for winch rescue operations: crucial elements that work together seamlessly in emergencies, ensuring that patients can be treated and rescued quickly and safely, even in difficult terrain. In these situations, the rescue winch is often the only way to provide life-saving assistance. It is also used when no suitable landing site is available near the scene, making it the fastest way to bring the emergency physician to the patient. In many cases, using the winch is the gentlest rescue method for the injured person. The terrain is often steep, inaccessible, marshy, or difficult to reach due to deep snow.