Commitment at a festival

Van der Bellen thanks a lifesaver in gold

Pint, Prünner, Szuppin and his rescuer, Ch. Zarits, F. Zarits.(Bild: HAFNER Gregor)

The Federal President has now bestowed the highest honors on a firefighter who rushed to the aid of a colleague. Without his efforts, the colleague would probably not have survived. 

Robert Csukovits knows what to do in an emergency. The 60-year-old is the commander of the Wulkaprodersdorf fire department, a section fire inspector and an emergency paramedic. Almost exactly two years ago, he was called to help at the fire department festival in his home town when the former deputy commander, Chief Fire Inspector Anton Szuppin, suffered a collapse.

Man reacted quickly
Thanks to his experience, Csukovits suspected that it was not a "harmless" collapse. With the help of the first responder equipment, including a defibrillator, he took the right steps and also performed an ECG. After receiving vital first aid, the patient was taken to Wiener Neustadt Hospital. The doctors diagnosed a heart attack. Szuppin was transferred to Vienna General Hospital and an emergency operation had to be performed.

It was a matter of minutes. The helpers took decisive action right at the start.

AKH-Mediziner

Awarded the Golden Medal of Merit
Szuppin survived. The comrade is forever grateful to his rescuer. His message of humanity got through to Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen. The first man in the state awarded Csukovits the Golden Medal of Merit of the Republic of Austria.

The award was presented after the mass celebrating the 135th anniversary of the Wulkaprodersdorf fire department. "I feel great reverence and gratitude," said Csukovits. Mayor Friedrich Zarits, Vice Mayor Rene Pint, National Councillor Christoph Zarits and Fire Councillor Günter Prünner offered their congratulations.