First Responder Central Switzerland

The rapid alerting of the professional rescue services (emergency call 144) and the immediate start of resuscitation measures are crucial for survival. In the event of cardiovascular arrest, cardiac massage must be started within three to five minutes. In the canton of Lucerne, the rescue service needs an average of ten to twelve minutes from the time the alarm is raised until it arrives at the scene.

first responder

With the help of volunteers, the first responders, the time until the arrival of the rescue service is bridged. This results in a significant increase in the victim's chances of survival.

With the introduction of the First Responder System in the canton of Lucerne, the chances of survival in the event of cardiovascular arrest should improve by more than 50 percent.

The First Responder System Lucerne was set up by the LUKS rescue service with the support of the canton. The rescue service has thus succeeded in closing the rescue chain for one of the most important links, the first responders.

First life-saving First Responder mission

In Kriens, thanks to the efforts of several volunteer "first responders", a man was successfully resuscitated after suffering cardiovascular arrest. This was the first life-saving operation performed by trained lay helpers in the canton of Lucerne.

On Thursday, 18 July 2019, the Emergency Medical Service Centre (SNZ) 144 Central Switzerland received a report that a car driver in Kriens required immediate medical assistance: After bringing the car to a halt due to sudden acute medical problems, he suffered cardiovascular arrest. Thanks to the immediate deployment of the ambulance service, the emergency doctor, the police and three "first responders", the 63-year-old man was able to receive initial medical care and stabilisation after a very short time.

First responders first on the scene

The "first responders" made a significant contribution to the successful operation, as they arrived on the scene very quickly and were able to provide first aid. Only two minutes after being called out, the trained lay helpers were able to restore the man's circulation with the help of an automated external defibrillator (AED). The rescue service and the emergency doctor finally succeeded in stabilising the man to such an extent that he could be taken to the emergency centre of the Lucerne Cantonal Hospital (LUKS). There he received further medical care.

Already seven missions for first responders

We are very pleased that the patient was successfully resuscitated thanks to the courageous and very quick intervention of several first responders," says Esther Schmid, medical director of the rescue service at LUKS. This shows how important a seamlessly functioning rescue chain is. "First responders are an important link in this chain and help to increase the chances of survival in the event of cardiovascular arrest. The First Responder project officially started on 1 July 2019, and since then trained lay helpers have been called out to more than half a dozen missions on the cantonal territory of Lucerne. The interventions were all in connection with cardiovascular arrests. In total, there are over 250 trained first responders in the canton of Lucerne.

Find the nearest defibrillator: AED locations Central Switzerland