The circuit over the Krenglbacher Hügel (district of Wels-Land) is seven kilometers long. Even the 101 vertical meters that have to be covered do not normally make Ronald Kopecny out of breath. At least not as quickly as on June 30 of this year. The deputy commander of the Haiding volunteer fire brigade has to stop halfway through the run. The strength is not enough.
“My arms fell asleep, it was a very strange feeling,” says the 43-year-old. When Kopecny comes home, he feels unbalanced. The feeling is getting worse and worse, his wife Victoria dials the number for the family doctor emergency service. A few moments later, exhausted, Kopecny has to lie down on the concrete floor of the terrace. Once more he screams for his wife, then it’s quiet. “When Victoria ran to me, I was already turning blue,” he says. Cardiovascular arrest – now every second counts.
His wife calls brother-in-law Andreas Neubacher, who lives about 300 meters away. Neubacher has been a volunteer in the rescue service for years and knows immediately what needs to be done. Neubacher and his wife Marlene fetch a defibrillator from a nearby inn. “Victoria was already providing first aid when we came. We then immediately started the resuscitation measures,” says Neubacher.
“First Aid Saved My Life”
When the rescue workers arrive, Kopecny shows the first signs of life. The 43-year-old needs a total of five shock deliveries to come back to life. “The first aid saved my life. If everything hadn’t gone the way it did, I wouldn’t be able to say thank you today,” he says.
Up until this incident, the 43-year-old had had no complaints. The rehab he is currently undergoing in Wels will make him completely healthy again. Kopecny is now campaigning for those affected to take part in first-aid courses. Because for more than 50 percent of the compatriots, such a thing happened more than ten years ago. “Many are overwhelmed in an emergency. Often they simply lack the courage to tackle and save a life,” says Walter Aichinger, President of the Red Cross in Upper Austria. “A first aid course takes away the fear and gives security. The only thing people can do wrong in an emergency is to do nothing,” he says. For this reason, first aid courses will start again at the Red Cross offices on September 26th. In addition to beginners’ courses, there are also refresher courses, because everyone should update their first-aid knowledge about every four years. “Being able to provide first aid must be a matter of course,” says Aichinger. Then a dangerous situation like the one experienced by Kopecny can end well.
Source: Nachrichten
