As another helicopter of the DRF Luftrettung “Christoph 42” will be equipped with a so-called “EpiShuttle”, a special insulation stretcher, at the end of this week. The medical crews at the station are currently receiving instructions and training on how to use the system safely and practiced.

To protect patients and crews, the “Christoph 42”, which is available around the clock , will be equipped at the end of this week as a further helicopter of the DRF Luftrettung with a special insulating stretcher , a so-called “EpiShuttle” . Further stations are to follow soon. By using the stretcher, both the patient and the Rendsburg air rescuer are optimally protected, and the crew can concentrate better on the patient’s medical care. In addition, the crews save valuable time and can very quickly make the helicopter available for operations again, since the particularly complex disinfection of the helicopter after operations with corona-infected individuals and other infectious patients is not necessary.

“After we first equipped stations with the EpiShuttles there due to the overall higher load in southern Germany, we will expand the distribution of the other available insulation stretches nationwide.

For the northern German area, we decided to equip Christoph 42 with one of the other available EpiShuttles due to the location of the Rendsburg station and the 24-hour availability.” explains Dr. Krystian Pracz , CEO of DRF Luftrettung. The EpiShuttle also offers an additional option for supplying the islands and Halligen, which Christoph 42 guarantees around the clock – especially when more tourists are allowed to travel to the islands again.

The innovative EpiShuttle allows patients with highly infectious diseases, such as those with a corona infection, to be transported as in an isolation station: the person lies under a transparent cover, can be connected to an intensive care ventilator via airtight access and can be monitored and treated at the same time. The medical crews of the wards are familiarized in advance with the EpiShuttle, among other things through an extensive deployment concept that takes a wide variety of scenarios into account. This means that the crews are able to carry out transports with the EpiShuttle according to the highest security standards if indicated.

The Rendsburg air rescue station
“Christoph 42” has been the central rescue helicopter for all of Schleswig-Holstein since 1975 . It is used in emergency rescue and for the urgent transportation of patients between clinics. The area of ​​application of “Christoph 42” is in central Schleswig-Holstein with an operating radius of around 60 kilometers around the station. During the day, it includes the districts of Rendsburg-Eckernförde, Dithmarschen, Nordfriesland and Schleswig-Flensburg including the islands and Halligen. At night, the area of ​​operations extends across Schleswig-Holstein. An EC 145 helicopter is used.