Homeless people are often exposed to the blistering heat in Austria, unprotected. But what to do if a person is potentially at risk? An ÖVP politician recently showed how not to do it. krone.at shows you how to provide first aid.
A man is sleeping in high temperatures on a public park bench – in the middle of Vienna’s Mariahilfer Strasse. The city has warmed up enormously in recent days and weeks and staying in a hot environment for too long can even lead to death. What are you doing?
The Viennese ÖVP boss Karl Mahrer decided to call the police and had himself staged by a cameraman and a photographer. The situation in which people are increasingly lying on benches or “on the floor under mountains of bottles” is unacceptable, the VP politician said. The ex-police general is now accused of failing to provide aid. The ÖVP man wants to have seen that there was “breathing”. Is that enough?
That is how it works
No. The health bandwidth between shortness of breath and breathing is diverse. An up and down movement of the upper body is far from a definitive indication that a person is doing well. The Austrian Red Cross recommends contacting the person concerned. If he responds, water should be given and attention should be paid to a raised upper body.
Then the person can be made to go into the shadows. Cold compresses on the forehead and neck also help. The basic rule is: keep calm and be there for the person. If the person concerned does not respond to you, you must immediately notify the emergency doctor.
However, the city of Vienna thanked Mahrer for his commitment to helping the homeless, but recommended contacting the responsible aid organizations for the future. By the way, all citizens can call 0800 880 800 for free advice to get through the hot season.
“Thank you for the great effort from Mr. Mahrer”
Vienna Social City Councilor Peter Hacker (SPÖ) advised the Viennese ÖVP boss on Friday to deal even more intensively with the problems of the homeless and to make himself “just as useful”. He invited Mahrer to volunteer for a day at a suitable healthcare facility. “That certainly helps more than keeping the police busy with a nap,” Hacker surmised.
“Thank you for Mr. Mahrer’s great commitment in this context. But it is precisely he who needs to know what the police are like in Vienna,” said Ewald Lochner, the coordinator for psychiatry, addiction and drug problems in the city of Vienna. Social workers are on the road in the public space to offer help here.Reference was also made to the day centers where those affected can recover from the heat on hot days.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
