Zivildienst

Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund Floridsdorf-Donaustadt

The "Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund Floridsdorf-Donaustadt" (ASB 921), an organisation working in the ambulance service, was founded in 1952. Since June 2000, it is located in the 22nd district of Vienna, in Wallenberggasse 2.

The organisation employs only one full time employee who is responsible for all the paperwork. All the other organisational work (such as writing the duty roster) is done by unsalaried functionaries. Most of the medical services, however, is done by the approximately 90 "Zivildiener" (men fulfilling their alternative military service), who are assigned yearly to the ASBÖ Floridsdorf-Donaustadt. Furthermore, there are about 130 first-aid volunteers, who are mobilised mainly for big events (for instance the Donauinselfest), but also assist at the every-day jobs if possible.

I myself also worked at the Samariter-Bund Floridsdorf-Donaustadt as "Zivildiener". Afterwards, I continued (and, at least officially, still continue) to work as a first-aid volunteer – even though the work was and is not always that easy.

The ASB Floridsdorf-Donaustadt offers a lot of services, such as:

• ambulance service
• medical attendance at ten different locations on Danube Island, at the Badeteich Hirschstetten, at the Badeteich Süßenbrunn, and at Gänsehäufel
• first aid at two ice-skating rinks
• first aid at sporting events, school festivities, etc.
• first-aid training courses
• ...

The work is financed by money earned in the ambulance service or thanks to medical attendance at sporting events and other festivities, and (of course) donations and membership fees.

Ambulance Service

Depending on week day and the time of day, up to nine ambulance cars of ASB Floridsdorf-Donaustadt are transporting patients to or from the hospital by order of the main office of the ABS (ASB-Bundesorganisation). The term of service for every crew varies from 8½ to 12 hours per day. However, the last tranport may last marginally longer.
At big events, such as the Donauinselfest or the Vienna City Marathon, additional ambulance cars are put in service, which are used for the transportation of the injured to hospital.

For this service, the ASB 921 owns cars of different size and equipment (ranging from a small passenger car to a Mercedes Sprinter which may be used as emergency ambulance).

First Aid on the Danube Island

During summer (between May 1 and September 30), the ASBÖ Floridsdorf-Donaustadt offers first aid at ten different locations all over the Danube Island, as well as at the Badeteich Hirschstetten, at the Badeteich Süßenbrunn, and at Gänsehäufel. Furthermore, there are three ambulance cars on duty which are used for taking care of someone injured further away from the ten locations mentioned above. Work usually starts at 9:00AM. Depending on weekday and weather, the day ends between 6:00PM and 8:00PM. During this time, the ambulance men stationed at the Danube Island (most of the time two "Zivildiener") are responsible for first aid after injuries and also organise an ambulance car for transportation to hospital (if necessary).

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