H 232 - 2026

Report

The Imsbach and Winnweiler units, as well as the Münchweiler Multi-Purpose Fire Station (MZF) with its fall protection team, were dispatched to assist the emergency medical services in the field. A mountain biker had fallen in the woods near Imsbach. In addition to the fire department, the rescue helicopter (RTH) Christoph 66, an ambulance (RTW), and the all-terrain vehicle (ATV) from the Winnweiler chapter of the German Red Cross (DRK) were also dispatched.

The exact location of the incident was initially pinpointed from the air by the helicopter crew, as the companion of the fallen rider had drawn their attention. The emergency physician then rappelled down using the helicopter’s winch and was the first to reach the patient. The fire department personnel were unable to locate the exact scene of the incident immediately, so the incident commander, accompanied by a trained paramedic, initially proceeded on foot toward the helicopter to assess the exact location of the accident. Shortly thereafter, they encountered the patient, who was already being treated by the emergency physician. The paramedic assisted the emergency physician with the medical procedures while the firefighters transported the necessary equipment for the patient’s rescue to the scene.

Since it quickly became clear that the patient would be transported by RTH, the ambulance was not needed at the scene. To enable the patient to be lifted using a winch, he first had to be placed in a rescue bag and then transported a short distance out of the wooded area to an open space. For this purpose, the so-called “Akia”—which is loaded onto the ATV—was used. This is a wheeled stretcher designed for transporting patients over rough terrain. Upon arrival at the open area, the helicopter—which had previously made an interim landing—returned to the scene and retrieved the patient, along with the emergency physician, using a winch. It then flew to a suitable hospital. The fire department personnel were then able to conclude their operation.