Around 3,000 Johanniter volunteers and professionals gathered in Berlin from 24 to 26 May 2019 for the nationwide ‘Tag der Johanniter’ (Johanniter Day).
The national competition of Johanniter Germany in first aid and emergency rescue takes place every two years. Here, the best teams from the nine federal Johanniter associations meet each other to win the title ‘Best Johanniter-rescuers of Germany’.
This year’s competition was hosted by Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe Landesverband Berlin/ Brandenburg. Fifty-three teams from all over Germany competed against each other on the ARENA site in Berlin-Treptow in a passionate and fair competition to find Germany’s best rescue and aid teams. Guest teams from Joannici Poland and St John Northern Ireland also participated with great scores.
During the competition, actors staged traffic accidents, fire and fall injuries, cuts and cardiovascular diseases for the participants to treat. Depending on their level of training, the competitors had to assess the situations correctly and provide the required care for the injured. All scenarios were professionally made up and displayed realistically by specially trained helpers. 116 referees rated the achievements and selected the winning teams of the individual categories at the end.
The competition for the best rescue teams encompassed 6 main categories: Children between six and twelve years old; first aiders between twelve and nineteen years old; medical assistants from 16 years old on and professional paramedics. In addition to these, two new categories were introduced this year: first aid on children for educators and the competition for the best rescue dog team.
The special feature of this event is that the competition not only shows our capabilities as one of the largest aid organisations in Germany but also embodies our essence and values: passionate commitment, readiness to help others and team spirit.” Dr Frank-emphasized Jürgen Weise, President of Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe.
In the centre of the event were the ‘Olympics of the rescuers’, accompanied by a diverse three-day supporting program: an alumni meeting and a festive event, which celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Johanniter Youth. Another part of the programme consisted of special events on care topics, education and rescue, and a panel discussion on the future of outpatient care.
Every two years, so many Johanniter meet voluntarily to test their abilities, they have spent a lot of their free time training to give their best and help people in need not only in this competition but also in real missions – in ambulance or medical service, which deserves the highest respect and gratitude.” Jörg Lüssem, Member of the Federal Board of Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe.
