Helicopter model freshly deployed in Lahr now serves as a rescue airbase: DRF operates "Christoph Ortenau" helicopter.
The state of Baden-Württemberg is set to bolster its air rescue services with the launch of a new site in Lahr, scheduled to commence operations on July 1, 2026. The decision follows a 15-year concession period and is based on recommendations from the Structure and Demand Analysis of Air Rescue in Baden-Württemberg, conducted in 2020.
The analysis, commissioned by the state from the Institute of Emergency Medicine and Medical Management at the University Hospital of Munich, aimed to optimise the air rescue system for rapid and effective emergency medical response across the state. It highlighted the need to address coverage gaps and reduce response times, particularly in certain regions.
The new Lahr air rescue site is designed to address these needs, enhancing the regional air rescue network coverage in southwestern Baden-Württemberg. The site's primary objectives include providing faster emergency response and patient transport times, closing coverage gaps in underserved areas, and improving the overall efficiency and availability of air rescue services statewide.
The DRF Luftrettung gemeinnützige GmbH (DRF) emerged as the successful bidder in the tendering process, having offered the best combination of quality and price. The DRF currently operates seven air rescue sites in Baden-Württemberg and will operate a total of eight sites, including the new one, from 2026.
Once all recommendations of the air rescue report have been implemented, the then existing ten air rescue sites will reach every location in Baden-Württemberg within 20 minutes during the day. The Ortenau Clinic will ensure the medical staffing of the helicopter, while the pilots and medical-technical crew members will be provided by the DRF.
The new rescue helicopter at the Lahr site will be operated during daylight hours and will bear the call sign "Christoph Ortenau", a departure from the previous practice of naming rescue helicopters with a combination of names and numbers. The people of Baden-Württemberg will soon be served by nine, and in the near future by ten, air rescue sites.
The new site on the Lahr-Freudenstadt axis will improve the supply structure for the population in the Ortenau district and northern Black Forest. State Secretary Thomas Blenke expressed his pleasure at working with the DRF on the new air rescue site in Lahr.
Further tendering procedures will be carried out for the other air rescue sites in Baden-Württemberg. The DRF will use a helicopter of the type Airbus H145 D3 with a five-blade rotor for the Lahr operations. The new air rescue site at Lahr Airport is set to make a significant contribution to the state's emergency services, ensuring swift and effective lifesaving interventions for the people of Baden-Württemberg.
Given the new air rescue site in Lahr, the DRF will enhance the regional air rescue network coverage in southwestern Baden-Württemberg for health-and-wellness purposes, aiming to improve emergency response times and address coverage gaps in underserved areas. Other air rescue sites in Baden-Württemberg will undergo further tendering procedures to ensure comprehensive science-backed solutions for the state's emergency services.
