Viennese of the week

Courageous first aider after accident: “No witchcraft”

Timon Schicketanz at the spot in Vienna's 2nd district where the momentous accident occurred in December.(Bild: Martin A. Jöchl)

Look instead of looking away - a former community service worker from Vienna followed this wisdom and helped a passer-by in distress with the most professional first aid when he happened to witness a dramatic traffic accident one evening.

Timon Schicketanz decided to do his civilian service with the rescue service after completing his A-levels. And he was able to put the knowledge he had learned to the test at the end of last year when he happened to witness a serious traffic accident one evening and didn't hesitate for a second to administer first aid.

First aid straight out of a picture book
Schicketanz witnessed the following at Tabor in the 2nd district: At around 8.30 p.m., a 31-year-old driver was driving his car along Tabor towards Taborstraße and collided with a pedestrian (60) who was about to cross the crosswalk. He kept a cool head and started with first aid like in a picture book. "I stabilized the patient, got the first aid kit from the accident vehicle and used the bandages to dress the wounds," explains the 20-year-old.

The arriving ambulance took care of the rest and the 60-year-old was taken to hospital. Fittingly, the young man is currently preparing for his medical university entrance exam. And our 20-year-old Wiener of the Week remains modest: "It wasn't rocket science."