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Ambulance handed over to Ukrainian twin city Chernivtsi.

 

The ASB Mannheim/Rhine-Neckar Region brought two vehicles with material to the Romanian/Ukrainian border.

 

(Mannheim, 25.07.2022) Beaming faces at the Romanian/Ukrainian border on Saturday, 23.07.2022: At 08:30 the team of ASB Mannheim/Rhine-Neckar Region was able to hand over two ambulances to the representatives of Czernowitz, the twin city of Mannheim. The two men came on behalf of the city administration of Chernivtsi and were both over 60 years old, as younger men are not allowed to leave Ukraine due to the war. "The joy was clear to see in both of them, despite the language barrier," said Herwin Hadameck, who led the ASB team of four in total. However, Hadameck smiles, they were only able to communicate with "hands and feet." Regardless of this, the message was clear: ASB declares its solidarity with Ukraine and helps where it can.

Takeover of the ambulance in Chernivtsi

In the meantime, the ambulances reached the city hospital of Chernivtsi, where the vehicles and the medical material supplied were already eagerly awaited. Mayor Roman Klitschuk personally received the cars at the Central City Clinical Hospital. "This help is extremely necessary," he explained. Chernivtsi, he said, was caring for and protecting tens of thousands of forcibly displaced Ukrainians. The city itself was not currently under attack, he said, but new refugees were reaching Chernivtsi every day. The ambulances were immediately put to their intended use and went into action. Chernivtsi is located about 50 kilometers from the Romanian/Ukrainian border.

Donation initiated by the board of ASB Mannheim/Rhine-Neckar Region

The board of the ASB region Mannheim/Neckar had initiated the project together with the regional association Baden-Württemberg e.V. and in cooperation with the city of Mannheim. The donated ambulances were in regular use until recently. The donation has a total value of around 25,000 euros. The project was supported by a charity tournament organized by TSV Neckarau and other donations. The soccer tournament for children and young people took place on March 20, raising 3,000 euros. Another donation came from Swen Henning, the managing director of the Heidelberg-based company GREEN (German REENgineering). The donations were used to buy material for emergency operations, such as bandages, resuscitation bags, protective suits and disinfectants.

Exciting and exhausting ride through several countries

The team had started last Thursday from the ASB rescue station in Mannheim-Käfertal. "We experienced a lot of solidarity and support along the way," reports Hadameck. For example, at an Austrian rest stop, restaurant employees almost entirely waived the cost of lunch after they knew what mission the team was on. After nearly 15 hours of driving, the team arrived at the hotel in Budapest shortly before midnight. "There, employees were still laying power cables during the night to connect the vehicles," Hadameck continued. Both the Austrian and Hungarian authorities also waived toll charges. After a short night, the team drove towards the Romanian border at around 08:00 in the morning. Across the Carpathians, they first headed to Suceava to pick up the rental car they had booked. Late in the evening, the team reached the hotel in the Romanian town of Botosani, about 50 kilometers from the border. Finally, the next morning, the handover of the ambulances with the material for emergency medical care took place. "We are very happy that we were able to support a humanitarian aid effort and would all go again in a heartbeat," Hadameck sums up. The team landed safely at Frankfurt-Hahn Airport on Saturday evening and was back at the ASB rescue station in Mannheim-Käfertal by 10:30 p.m. "I am of course very happy that our employees are back safe and sound," Joachim Schmid is pleased to say, "this commitment is simply great and shows the enthusiasm with which our volunteers actively support such projects." It speaks for ASB Mannheim/Rhine-Neckar Region that everyone pulls together and helps wherever it is necessary and possible. Fek