A contract confirming the agreement was signed by Randolf Stich, State Secretary in the Ministry of the Interior, and Frédéric Bruder, Managing Director of ADAC Luftrettung, in Mainz.

Bruder commented: “We are pleased that we were able to [win the] tender with our quality concept for West Palatinate and thus ensure rapid assistance from the air for the people in the region. A very experienced and highly professional crew is available for the optimal emergency medical care of patients.” He added: “With Westpfalz-Klinikum, the University Hospital Homburg and the clinic in Idar-Oberstein, we have reliable partners for highly qualified emergency care.” The crew of the intensive care helicopter consists of a pilot, helicopter doctor and an emergency medical officer.

The new intensive care and rescue helicopter, call sign Christoph 66, will be stationed at the glider airfield in Eßweiler, initially just as a transition phase, until the official start of the one-year interim operation, which is scheduled for mid-October.

The operational scope of the new ADAC rescue helicopter in West Palatinate comprises the city and district of Kaiserslautern, the districts of Kusel and Birkenfeld, and the Donnersberg district. It’s missions in the federal states of Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland, meanwhile, will be relocation transports from clinic to clinic, so-called secondary transports.

The twin-engined and night-vision ready H145 provided by ADAC Luftrettung is designed for longer flights and can thus be used for intensive care relocation flights. The machine is also ideal for incubator transport of critically ill premature and newborn babies, said ADAC, as well as for ECMO transports of patients suffering from severe pulmonary disease. The helicopter has five approved seats as well as modular and highly flexible cabin equipment so that the ambulance and paramedics have optimal access to the patient.