He's off to the races, when the heart is at a standstill

A young man lies motionless on the ground. Over him bent over, breathing hard, fighting Stefan Gasser its life. Forcefully, he pushes at regular intervals on the chest and hopes that heartbeat and breathing quickly.

The Situation is fortunately only. A Phantom, i.e. a kind of doll, practice fire officer Gasser and his colleagues were regularly the case of an emergency. Such a heart emergency is not usually lasts for more than 60 minutes – minutes that make the difference between life and death.

gap in the chain of survival

a Year up to 8000 people suffer in Switzerland a cardiac arrest. A fate that every human can. Assistance is not done immediately, the survival of fall opportunities with each Minute of 10 to 15 percent. Until the professional rescuers arrive, it will take but, depending on route and traffic conditions, an average of 10 to 20 minutes – so for a long time. Volunteers, emergency responders, or "First responder" on-the-spot asset this gap in the rescue to close the chain. Because you are already in the vicinity and can start rapidly with the revival. First Responders are trained emergency responders, and are regularly trained.

No place for a hero

The 45-year-old Stefan Gasser in Jeans and sneakers a time in the fire brigade depot, where he is often to be found. For 27 years, he is a member of the volunteer fire Department for 10 years, the 17-member Team of the First Responders of the municipality of Zuzwil, a town with about 4500 inhabitants in the Canton of St. Gallen.

A formative experience brought contact joyful Gasser to the First Responders: "I was in Italy in the holidays with a rescue, but unfortunately unsuccessful," says the passionate firefighter. "I was busy then longer." This experience led to the fact that he wanted to later, as the First boarding Responder. "People quickly with simple means to help, so that you can later on in life as far as possible without permanent damage," he explains his Conviction. His commitment pushes all-around on respect, occasionally, there are also critical voices. Why he had to play the hero, he gets to hear about. "Who wants to be a Hero, this is in the wrong place," Stefan Gasser clear. Because it was a team work, individual fighters have no place. There is also no boss. Just someone who'll take the "Lead", usually in teams of two.

Everything

In the fire Zuzwil the First get Responders a year, about eight times. The emergency call center 144 to alert the helper in each case via cell phone, and Pager, if the received emergency life-threatening keywords. Who is alarmed, everything – whether at work, in bed at night or in the holidays – and goes over to the fire station to the site. Although Stefan Gasser as a project Manager for a real estate company is always a busy schedule, he interrupts his work immediately, if an emergency call comes in.

the Gasser remembers one of his last missions. A young woman lay lifeless in her apartment. About half an hour, the emergency responders tried to revive her. "We had a they had almost given up and considered how to continue, when suddenly the heart beat," he says today. The woman was able to soon leave the hospital again without permanent impairment.

A case of moving the Zuzwiler First responder a few years ago: there was a muffled small child. "We came too late", tells Stefan Gasser quiet. Due to the tragic event, all the rescuers then received professional support. A care team from the ambulance service was called to the debrief. Each First Responder psychological help is available if needed.

With little money many save

in Spite of such abuse, we know from other regions, that the System of First Responders, the survival rate of heart increases downtime significantly follow. So, for example, in the pattern of the Canton of Ticino, which has a dense network of around 4500 voluntary helpers in time of need (the equivalent of more than one per cent of the Ticinese population). Here, you could survive to increase the rate up to 20 percent compared to Switzerland of less than 10 percent.

the Canton of Berne in the First responder a leading role. 1700 Volunteers, distributed all over the Canton area, are available on demand. Equally men and women of all ages, Professions, such as firefighters, police, maintenance, pool attendant, and a large part of Samaritan internal and Samaritans. "Recruitment difficulties, we do not know," says Beat Baumgartner, President of the Association of first responders.be. They also received regular positive feedback, according to which patients have survived. However, it is not hapere even in the case of the cooperation among the cantons, although the cardiac arrest at the cantonal border to stop. Baumgartner hopes, therefore, that the idea of the First responder, the Switzerland holds far better foot. "With little money, so many lives can be saved."

National strategy in sight

So, it is difficult also in the Canton of Zurich with the establishment of a unified First-Responder system. "There are simply too many players in the game," says Matthias Meier, from the First Responder.ch GmbH. "In addition to municipalities, the rescue services, fire brigades and police forces involved." Meier knows what he's talking about, he has been supporting for years in the Zurich area these actors with training and consulting. He does not believe, therefore, that a country-wide organization operating without Federal requirements. Confident Roman Burkart, President of the Swiss Resuscitation Council (SRC), wherein all the stakeholders of the rescue scene in Switzerland are organized: "We are currently working to develop a national strategy."

Stefan Gasser is not found, meanwhile, a compensation of his often stressful activity only under his fire brigade colleagues. Judo, skiing, or Biking will help him as well as his family with two children who has learned, meanwhile, with his constant absences of life. "He needs this, it makes him happy," says his wife and winks at her husband.

(editing Tamedia)

Created: 10.12.2018, 10:00 PM