From Thursday 21st to Sunday 24th August, Johanniter Austria once again ensured medical safety at the traditional Neustifter Kirtag in Vienna. This popular wine festival attracts thousands of visitors to the 19th district every year and has been a fixed part of the event calendar for Johanniter for many years. With around 40 paramedics on duty each day, several ambulances and a medical station located directly at the festival grounds, the team was well prepared to provide quick and professional assistance.
This year, the Vienna team received special support: as part of the Volunteer Swap Program, three Johanniter volunteers from Germany worked alongside their Austrian colleagues. Jeremy Schmieder from Leipzig and two other participants from Bavaria spent an entire week in Vienna, taking part in missions both in patient transport vehicles as well as directly in the treatment tent and on foot patrol during the Kirtag.
On just their second day in Vienna, the visiting volunteers joined missions on an emergency patient transport vehicle (N-KTW). They gained valuable insights into the processes and structures of Vienna’s emergency departments and assisted in treating patients with falls, circulatory problems or high blood pressure.
Jeremy continues his report:
- Day 3: First day at the Neustifter Kirtag. After a briefing by the operations manager on site, I was assigned to the treatment tent in the Yellow (2) category but also assisted in the Green (3) category.
- Day 4: Second day at the Neustifter Kirtag. Deployment in a foot patrol unit with stretcher, backpack, AED, and suction pump. The evening was mostly calm, but there were several minor incidents, mainly related to alcohol intoxication.
- Day 5: Third day at the Neustifter Kirtag. On this day, I was assigned to a patient transport vehicle and accompanied several transfers, including for lacerations, a broken nose, head wounds and alcohol intoxication.
- Day 6: Fourth and final day at the Neustifter Kirtag. Once again, I was responsible for patient transports. Overall, the day was calm, which allowed me to exchange experiences with my colleagues from Vienna.
Conclusion:
“The week in Vienna was a very enriching experience for me. I not only gained numerous professional insights but also got to know many friendly colleagues. I would like to sincerely thank everyone for the opportunity to take part in this exchange. I would be very happy to have another chance to work and support the team in Vienna again.”
