Published on
September 30, 2025
In emergencies, help knows no borders – 10 years of cross-border cooperation in rescue services
Luxembourg, 21 May 2015
In emergencies, help knows no borders – 10 years of cross-border cooperation in rescue services
Thursday, 21 May 2015 marks a special day for air rescue services in Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland and Luxembourg, as cross-border air rescue celebrates its 10th anniversary. The ceremony took place, just as it did ten years ago, in Nittel on the Moselle. Numerous distinguished guests attended, alongside Saarland Interior Minister Klaus Boullion, Luxembourg Interior Minister Dan Kersch, and Ministerial Director Randolf Stich from Rhineland-Palatinate, representing Minister Roger Lewentz.
This spirit of solidarity in air rescue is entirely free from any sense of competition. Staff in dispatch centres, air rescue bases and operational teams – including doctors, paramedics, technicians and pilots from ADAC, DRK and LAR – work hand in hand with ground rescue services, hospitals and health insurers. Their work is defined by high professionalism and strong cooperation. Their shared goal is fast and comprehensive patient care. For the past ten years, they have demonstrated what it truly means to be there for one another in emergencies.
Ten years ago in Nittel on the Moselle, the then Interior Ministers Karl Peter Bruch (Rhineland-Palatinate), Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer (Saarland) and Jean-Marie Halsdorf (Luxembourg) laid the foundation for cross-border air rescue between Luxembourg and Germany. By removing political and legal barriers, the AR3 helicopter of Luxembourg Air Rescue was connected to the Trier dispatch centre and was thus able to support German emergency services. This created a form of cross-border assistance free from bureaucracy. Since then, the helicopter based at Findel has served as backup and support for the rescue helicopters in Wittlich and Saarbrücken.
At the beginning of this cooperation, the AR3 helicopter carried out around two missions per day in Germany. Today, LAR conducts approximately 1,000 missions per year in the border region. Over the past decade, around 7,000 missions have been flown in the two German states, saving many lives thanks to this strong and professional collaboration.
In his speech, René Closter, founder and President of Luxembourg Air Rescue, thanked past and present Interior Ministers, officials, staff of the various rescue services, dispatch centres and hospitals, as well as funding partners and colleagues from ADAC for this outstanding, patient-oriented cooperation.
During the ceremony, a fully equipped intensive care rescue helicopter, along with its crew – pilot, emergency doctor and intensive care nurse – was also present for demonstration and discussion, showcasing the daily work carried out in the two regions.
In emergencies, help knows no borders – 10 years of cross-border cooperation in rescue services
Luxembourg, 21 May 2015
In emergencies, help knows no borders – 10 years of cross-border cooperation in rescue services
Thursday, 21 May 2015 marks a special day for air rescue services in Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland and Luxembourg, as cross-border air rescue celebrates its 10th anniversary. The ceremony took place, just as it did ten years ago, in Nittel on the Moselle. Numerous distinguished guests attended, alongside Saarland Interior Minister Klaus Boullion, Luxembourg Interior Minister Dan Kersch, and Ministerial Director Randolf Stich from Rhineland-Palatinate, representing Minister Roger Lewentz.
This spirit of solidarity in air rescue is entirely free from any sense of competition. Staff in dispatch centres, air rescue bases and operational teams – including doctors, paramedics, technicians and pilots from ADAC, DRK and LAR – work hand in hand with ground rescue services, hospitals and health insurers. Their work is defined by high professionalism and strong cooperation. Their shared goal is fast and comprehensive patient care. For the past ten years, they have demonstrated what it truly means to be there for one another in emergencies.
Ten years ago in Nittel on the Moselle, the then Interior Ministers Karl Peter Bruch (Rhineland-Palatinate), Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer (Saarland) and Jean-Marie Halsdorf (Luxembourg) laid the foundation for cross-border air rescue between Luxembourg and Germany. By removing political and legal barriers, the AR3 helicopter of Luxembourg Air Rescue was connected to the Trier dispatch centre and was thus able to support German emergency services. This created a form of cross-border assistance free from bureaucracy. Since then, the helicopter based at Findel has served as backup and support for the rescue helicopters in Wittlich and Saarbrücken.
At the beginning of this cooperation, the AR3 helicopter carried out around two missions per day in Germany. Today, LAR conducts approximately 1,000 missions per year in the border region. Over the past decade, around 7,000 missions have been flown in the two German states, saving many lives thanks to this strong and professional collaboration.
In his speech, René Closter, founder and President of Luxembourg Air Rescue, thanked past and present Interior Ministers, officials, staff of the various rescue services, dispatch centres and hospitals, as well as funding partners and colleagues from ADAC for this outstanding, patient-oriented cooperation.
During the ceremony, a fully equipped intensive care rescue helicopter, along with its crew – pilot, emergency doctor and intensive care nurse – was also present for demonstration and discussion, showcasing the daily work carried out in the two regions.
In emergencies, help knows no borders – 10 years of cross-border cooperation in rescue services
Luxembourg, 21 May 2015
In emergencies, help knows no borders – 10 years of cross-border cooperation in rescue services
Thursday, 21 May 2015 marks a special day for air rescue services in Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland and Luxembourg, as cross-border air rescue celebrates its 10th anniversary. The ceremony took place, just as it did ten years ago, in Nittel on the Moselle. Numerous distinguished guests attended, alongside Saarland Interior Minister Klaus Boullion, Luxembourg Interior Minister Dan Kersch, and Ministerial Director Randolf Stich from Rhineland-Palatinate, representing Minister Roger Lewentz.
This spirit of solidarity in air rescue is entirely free from any sense of competition. Staff in dispatch centres, air rescue bases and operational teams – including doctors, paramedics, technicians and pilots from ADAC, DRK and LAR – work hand in hand with ground rescue services, hospitals and health insurers. Their work is defined by high professionalism and strong cooperation. Their shared goal is fast and comprehensive patient care. For the past ten years, they have demonstrated what it truly means to be there for one another in emergencies.
Ten years ago in Nittel on the Moselle, the then Interior Ministers Karl Peter Bruch (Rhineland-Palatinate), Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer (Saarland) and Jean-Marie Halsdorf (Luxembourg) laid the foundation for cross-border air rescue between Luxembourg and Germany. By removing political and legal barriers, the AR3 helicopter of Luxembourg Air Rescue was connected to the Trier dispatch centre and was thus able to support German emergency services. This created a form of cross-border assistance free from bureaucracy. Since then, the helicopter based at Findel has served as backup and support for the rescue helicopters in Wittlich and Saarbrücken.
At the beginning of this cooperation, the AR3 helicopter carried out around two missions per day in Germany. Today, LAR conducts approximately 1,000 missions per year in the border region. Over the past decade, around 7,000 missions have been flown in the two German states, saving many lives thanks to this strong and professional collaboration.
In his speech, René Closter, founder and President of Luxembourg Air Rescue, thanked past and present Interior Ministers, officials, staff of the various rescue services, dispatch centres and hospitals, as well as funding partners and colleagues from ADAC for this outstanding, patient-oriented cooperation.
During the ceremony, a fully equipped intensive care rescue helicopter, along with its crew – pilot, emergency doctor and intensive care nurse – was also present for demonstration and discussion, showcasing the daily work carried out in the two regions.
