More than 50 boat missions in emergencies on the entire Ammersee had the Wasserwacht Dießen last year. © Roettig
Dießen – Of the west bank water rescue services Eching, Schondorf and Utting, the local group Dießen is the largest. Initiated in 1969 by four passionate Ammersee fans, 54 years later it has a proud 440 members.
Among them are over 30 active lifeguards and divers as well as an eager junior research group of 38 young people. In addition to first aid at the municipal bathing areas, the area of responsibility includes the rescue and recovery of injured water sports enthusiasts, the search for missing persons, the recovery of lifeless persons, roadside assistance, the towing of defective boats and much more.
An overview of the 2022 watch season was given at the annual general meeting in MTV's now Italian sports restaurant, which has just been taken over by Giovanni Passanante of "Al Lago" in fishing. Thomas Forstner, technical director of the water rescue service, was able to report the proud number of a total of 4,354 watch hours at the St. Alban station. With the two lifeboats and the water emergency vehicle, more than 50 missions were carried out. According to Forstner, the high number of missing persons searches (13) and the 17 alerts for rescue diving missions were striking.
But also for smaller and larger aches and pains of the bathers, the water guards were on hand for 53 first aid services, whether for wasp sting, a scraped knee or sunburn. Five people seeking help with major injuries had to be handed over to the ambulance service.
They were also very active in education and training. Five lifeguards can now call themselves "water rescuers" one step higher. Four activists completed a basic course in "Psychosocial Emergency Care", and further training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation with an "Automated External Defibrillator" was also carried out. Two boats were equipped with such an AED device in order to be able to provide assistance even faster.
Youth warden Elke Stirnadel was pleased that in her 38-member group from the age of seven, four junior staff between the ages of 16 and 18 are already in the transition to active guard duty. In addition, a pleasing number of kids and young people would be interested in the water rescue service, who are initially involved in the training courses as "taster children". The highlight this summer will be a tent camp of the water rescue youth.
Local group leader Andrea Wessely reviewed last year's activities away from the guard and rescue service. From collecting Christmas trees to the parking service at the pottery market to providing medical services at the parade of the Heimat- und Trachtenverein, the water rescue service was present.
Honours for deserving and long-standing members of the Dießen Water Rescue Service: Michael Vivell (Red Cross), Mayor Sandra Perzul, Reinhard Hohenester, Frank Böhm (District Water Rescue Service), Thomas Forstner, Andrea Wessely (Chairwoman Dießen) and Andreas Uhl (from left). Front (from left) Lina Lauter, Stephan Wörsching and Alina Forstner. © Roettig
"The volunteer work of the water rescue service is priceless," thanked Mayor Sandra Perzul in her welcoming address. The praise was echoed by Frank Böhm, chairman of the Dießen district water rescue service, and Michael Vivell, deputy chairman of the Landsberg Red Cross District Association, to which the water rescue service belongs.
The Wasserwacht Bayern is not only the largest community of the Bavarian Red Cross, but also the largest water rescue state association in Germany. More than 130,000 members, including a good 70,000 active members, are organized in 556 local groups with over 600 guard stations such as the one in St. Alban.
