First Aid Newsletter

The emergency reform adopted on 15.10.2026 connects the 112 emergency service and 116117 on-call service digitally for the first time and builds ~750 Integrated Emergency Centers at clinics. The reform addresses chronic overcrowding of emergency departments (48% classified as overburdened) through mandatory initial assessment and targeted patient routing. This means a fundamental change in the emergency service landscape and increases demands on first aid training and emergency medicine standards.

Several countries are launching AED pilot programs (Haarlem: 30 volunteers with personal defibrillators; USA: Damar Hamlin Foundation donated >$1M AEDs to schools). According to experts, survival rates for cardiac arrest increase to 60-70% when CPR+AED are available within 3-5 minutes. This underscores the critical importance of CPR training and AED networks for lay participation.

The European Resuscitation Council (ERC) updated its guidelines in 2025; the most important change: recommendation of the 2-thumb technique for chest compressions in infants instead of the previous 2-finger method. This requires adjustment of all first aid courses at DRK, Johanniter, and Malteser and signals a shift in pediatric resuscitation standards.

Malteser, DRK, and Johanniter are developing specialized children's courses (KiNo-Kompaktkurs) and calling for integration of health/crisis competence in schools (DRK position paper on World First Aid Day 12.9.2026). Since 2021, DRK has trained 3,000+ children; this demonstrates growing demand for lay training in pediatric emergency care.

Since 2026, DGUV guideline 304-003 requires a minimum of 56 teaching units (45 minutes each) for occupational first aid instructors; Johanniter and Malteser are intensifying recruitment of qualified trainers in Heilbronn/Mainz. This professionalization of instructor training raises market barriers and standards for first aid providers.