A young Purkersdorfer was in Ukraine for a year to help the Red Cross develop the rescue and patient transport service in the country.
With a mix of excitement and uncertainty, emergency paramedics Georg Tertsch (28) had arrived from Purkersdorf in Kiev. A year later, home again, the man looks back proudly on his time in Ukraine. The task of the 28-year-old was clear: on behalf of the Austrian Red Cross, he should support the Ukrainian colleague in building a rescue and patient transport service.
From social aspects to the emergency services
Because in Ukraine the Red Cross had focused primarily on social aspects before the war broke out, which gathered donations for people in need. The emergency services were organized by the state. At the start of the conflict in Ukraine this had suddenly changed, the Red Cross had to take on many new tasks.
The organization had experienced enormous growth. To help build new structures, Tertsch had the decades of the Red Cross in Austria. The team around Tertsch organized training, imported auxiliary vehicles and prepared the first ambulance service. The daily work of the 28-year-old consisted of meetings, coordination, practical planning and above all training, which he carried out in different regions. “He settled between routines and unexpected events,” said Tertsch.
The first air alarm
With Ukrainian colleagues, he practiced in the field of medical equipment or transporting patients. Everything in the middle of the war. “The first air alarm caught me in the middle of the night. But you got used to it over time. Sometimes we were in cafés until suddenly an alarm sounded and we had to go into. Daily life was formed by such interruptions,” he says.
In the meantime, the service of the Red Cross in Ukraine has already begun, the use of Tertsch ended after about a year. “Ukraine has shaped me – by people, their resistance and their daily life between hope and uncertainty. I am proud that we have brought the ambulance to the path,” says the Parkersdorfer. After the tiring months, a longer vacation with his girlfriend is on the program. “I hope that at some point I can return to Ukraine to see how the project has developed.”
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.
