EDITORIAL – CLAUDE FEYEREISEN

This year marks the 25th anniversary of Luxembourg’s air rescue service, better known as Luxembourg Air Rescue (LAR).

Twenty-five years may seem either a short or a long period depending on the perspective.

In the case of Luxembourg Air Rescue, the past 25 years can clearly be described as a long period, especially considering that the early years were far from easy.

In fact, many of the challenges continue to this day.

One name is inseparably linked with Luxembourg’s air rescue service: René Closter, initiator, co-founder and president of the non-profit organisation for the past 25 years.

Credit must be given where credit is due.

Without René Closter, Luxembourg would probably not have an air rescue service today.

Without the tireless commitment of the charismatic former professional firefighter, many people in distress would likely not have been saved.

And without the “Éislécker Klatzkapp”, as he likes to call himself, the Grand Duchy would have one success story less.

The initial spark for the creation of Luxembourg Air Rescue on 18 April 1988 was the tragic accident of a young boy who lost his foot.

According to René Closter, who was present during that rescue mission, the boy’s foot might have been saved if a rescue helicopter had been available.

From that moment on, the efforts of like-minded individuals were brought together to equip Luxembourg with its own air rescue service.

Looking back, it is difficult to understand that Closter and his committed supporters received no official support for their ambitious initiative.

Even more difficult to understand is that the situation appears to have changed very little to this day.

As René Closter recently explained in an interview, doctors and pilots, for example, do not receive priority when passing through security checks at Findel Airport during helicopter missions.

As a result, valuable and potentially decisive minutes are lost.

In addition, missions where the patient is ultimately not transported by the requested helicopter are not reimbursed.

Despite the lack of official support, the success of Luxembourg Air Rescue proves its value.

185,000 members cannot be wrong.

They demonstrate the necessity of such an organisation.

According to René Closter, around 1,200 people owe their continued lives to this service.

Over the years, LAR – founded as a non-profit association – has developed into an internationally active and even leading air rescue organisation.

Remarkably, it has achieved this largely without external assistance.

It is regrettable that an initiative whose sole mission is to save human lives receives so little attention from official authorities.

Because the existence of an air rescue service is anything but something to be taken for granted.