First Aid Newsletter

The planned emergency care reform stipulates that patients in emergencies no longer call 112 directly, but are instead triaged via the KV emergency control center – in cases of heart attack or stroke, delays due to video calls are a threat. The reform divides the public and experts: supporters see relief for emergency departments and rescue services, critics warn of life-threatening delays. The federal cabinet has passed the draft legislation; implementation of digital networking between 112, 116117, and clinics becomes the central success factor.

At the summit meeting at RETTmobil 2026, DRK, Johanniter, Malteser, ASB, and DLRG agreed on a common demand for adequate and permanent funding as well as strengthening civil and disaster protection as an integrated system. The organizations lament lacking planning security and growing financial bottlenecks amid rising call numbers. This signals structural problems in volunteer funding and operational readiness.

Several cases of successful lay resuscitation with AED (e.g., EMS instructor saves himself through his students) demonstrate that broader CPR/AED training saves lives: with AED, survival rates can increase from 10% to 46%. Organizations like Red Cross and PulsePoint Foundation intensify public training; new FDA approvals for networked AED systems enable better integration. The market for prevention and public defibrillators is growing.

First aid courses are being modernized: realistic scenarios instead of PowerPoints, interactive stations, digital standards according to DGUV specifications, and regular refresher training are being promoted. The average age of the last training for many adults exceeds 10 years; adult education centers and aid organizations are expanding their offerings. Trend: practice-oriented, short-format refresher courses.

Saxony-Anhalt enacts amendment to emergency services law to strengthen rural emergency care; smaller fire department units increasingly serve as first responders as the emergency service network is too sparse. Multi-state initiative for better coverage and faster initial care in peripheral regions. Decentralization and prevention become the solution approach for urban bottlenecks.