Thomas Hartmann is on his way to Stadtoldendorf on his motorcycle in the summer of 2022 when he suddenly notices the scene of an accident. The 48-year-old forester reacted immediately, helped to free the driver from his vehicle, which was lying upside down in a ditch, and finally revived him. For his courageous intervention, Thomas Hartmann has now been named “Road Hero of the Month for December” by the Automobile Club of Germany (AvD).
June 28th is a warm summer day and Thomas Hartmann is free. He would like to use the day for an excursion and is on the road with his motorbike. Due to a construction site, he changes his route in Lenne. On Lenner Strasse in the direction of Stadtoldendorf, he suddenly saw a vehicle whose front end was left in a ditch. As he approaches and drives past, he sees that two people are already near the accident car and wonders whether his help is still needed. The 48-year-old decides to stop anyway and becomes a lifesaver.
After parking his motorcycle, he learns at the scene of the accident that the emergency call has already been made, but the driver is still in the car and can no longer be spoken to. All attempts to free him have so far been unsuccessful. Thomas Hartmann boldly approaches the vehicle and the three of them finally manage to get the man out who was strapped in his seat up to that point. When they lay the accident victim down nearby, they notice that the stable side position is not sufficient here: the man has already turned blue and has stopped breathing. Thomas Hartmann instinctively decides to initiate resuscitation measures, because in such a situation every minute is precious.
The time until the ambulance arrives seems short and yet long. “The rescue control center was in contact with us and the rhythm was given to me via the loudspeaker of my cell phone so that I could carry out the cardiac massage in the right rhythm,” reports Hartmann. He adds: “Despite regular first-aid refresher courses, one is grateful for professional support in such an exceptional moment, also over the phone.”
As it turns out, the 68-year-old had a heart attack while driving and therefore has no memory of the rollover or the circumstances of the accident. It is therefore very fortunate that Thomas Hartmann was in the right place at the right time. After the successful resuscitation, the forester continues to support the rescue workers who have arrived on site.
With his selfless commitment, Thomas Hartmann saved the life of the accident victim. Because if a person’s circulatory system breaks down, the chance of survival depends crucially on how quickly first aid measures are initiated and carried out. The immediate intervention has prevented worse and shows how important it is not to look away but to look and offer your help. “For me it was the best thing to find out that the accident victim survived and I was very happy to be able to look him in the eye at a later meeting,” said the first responder.
The Automobile Club of Germany (AvD) honored Thomas Hartmann with the “Road Hero of the Month December” award for his courageous and courageous commitment. Every month, the AvD is looking for courageous people who have saved other road users from worse in emergency situations through their exemplary behavior. The campaign is supported by the trade journal “Auto Verkehr”. (awm)
