The story of Austria-based non-profit aeromedical company ARA Flugrettung's Reutte station is a successful one that started on 29 March, 2002 at Reutte-Höfen airport when, on the initiative of the Red Cross Reutte, ARA Flugrettung stationed its emergency helicopter 'RK-2' on the site there. In August 2005, as a result of a devastating flood, the emergency medical helicopter moved to premises at the Reutte district hospital in Ehenbichl.

An open day was held on 10 September to recognise both the 20th anniversary and the 17,753 missions that have been completed.

“We owe a lot to the people of the region. That's why we want to celebrate together with those who have walked part of the way with us over the past 20 years," says station manager Michael Schweiger.

In the last four years in particular, ARA flight rescuers in Reutte have had enormous demands placed upon them. In the summer of 2018 an Airbus H145, probably the most modern emergency helicopter in the world, went into service. This 'flying intensive care unit' replaced a BK 117. By the following year there had already been a substantial increase in working hours but since then the Reutte crews have even been saving lives at night. From March 2020, the corona virus put the non-profit organisation to an economic test, but it came through confidently.

A high point of the ARA story in Reutte came on 14 June, 2021 when ARA received approval from national flight safety authority Austrocontrol to carry out wind rescue operations at night - the first civilian air rescue company in Austria and Germany to do so.

While ARA managing director Thomas Jank wishes only that the crews return safely from operations, he drew attention to a problematic development: "The number of assignments is climbing, almost all costs are increasing, but the responsible cost bearers have not adjusted their flat rates, or only insufficiently. So far, for example, there has been no support from anyone for the enormous additional costs caused by the skyrocketing fuel prices.”

94 people are currently working for ARA Flugrettung across all its sites, including 13 pilots, 13 winch operators (HEMS-TC), 19 air rescuers, 39 emergency doctors and seven administrative staff. All its flights are mandatory with a four person crew comprising a pilot, winch operator, flight rescuer and emergency doctor, and can be supplemented by mountain rescuers, specialists and intensive care nurses if necessary.

The Klagenfurt-headquartered company, which cooperates with the Carinthian Red Cross and belongs to the German DRF Group, was founded in 2001 and currently operates two year-round locations in Fresach (Carinthia) and Reutte (Tyrol), as well as one seasonal station in Nassfeld, Carinthia. The emergency medical helicopters are alerted by the respective state control centres.