In June 2012 JOIN facilitated another transfer of Austrian emergency vehicles to JOIN partners at favourable conditions. In particular, the Latvian St John organisation Sveta Jana Palidziba received two patient transport ambulances and the Hungarian Johannita Segitö Szolgálat a further patient transport ambulance. In 2003 and 2011, Sveta Jana Palidziba in Latvia had already received two and one ambulance, respectively.

The Austrian Johanniter are aware that vehicles no longer usable in Austria due to high maintenance costs can still be operated by JOIN partners for quite a few years. As labour costs in Hungary and Latvia are significantly lower, maintaining and repairing emergency vehicles is a lot more inexpensive than in Austria. This enables the well-equipped patient transport ambulances to be operated on a sound economic basis in Hungary and Latvia.

Johannes Bucher, President of the Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe (JUH) in Austria remembers how it all started for the Austrian St John organisation: “In 1974 the Johanniter in Germany helped us jump start our enterprise with one of their emergency vehicles. This first ambulance provided our volunteers with a great experience and motivation for their work with the JUH”.

For Johannes Bucher, transferring the vehicles at favourable conditions and predominantly to JOIN partners is an important sign of solidarity and cooperation with JOIN partners that all aim to fulfill the mission of the Orders of St John under difficult circumstances.

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