Reviving Lives: Potential for Emergency Responders to Save Up to 10,000 Lives Annually
The ADAC Foundation, led by President Christina Tillmann, has called for a shift in societal norms towards a 'culture of resuscitation.' This push comes as the foundation releases the 'Monitor Reanimation 2025' report, ahead of the upcoming 'Week of Resuscitation.'
The report highlights the urgent need for action, with over one in three people admitting they would not attempt to help if someone collapses nearby. This reluctance could potentially cost lives, as the risk of irreversible brain damage increases rapidly after just four minutes without CPR.
Currently, only two federal states, Hesse and Saarland, require CPR training to be mandatory. However, North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) plans to introduce this requirement in secondary schools starting from the 2026/27 school year.
The report also suggests promoting volunteer involvement in first responder structures and establishing apps that alert qualified first responders in emergencies. Unfortunately, these apps only cover half of Germany, with inconsistent funding and technical standards.
Telephone CPR is not consistently implemented across Germany, and defibrillators are distributed unsystematically. A national registry for tracking and distributing defibrillators could help address these issues.
The study, conducted in Munich, suggests that up to 10,000 lives in Germany could be saved annually if bystanders administer CPR to cardiac arrest victims. Last year, around 70,000 cardiac arrest victims were resuscitated outside of a hospital, with approximately one in ten laypeople (9%) having already performed CPR at some point in their lives.
Despite the potential life-saving benefits, many people currently do not feel confident enough to perform CPR if someone collapses nearby. Incentives for regular adult CPR training could help boost these numbers.
80% of citizens support making CPR training mandatory nationwide. Making telephone CPR legally mandatory could potentially save lives, as it reduces the time taken before help arrives. On average, it takes the emergency services seven minutes to arrive, and even longer in rural areas, not including the time taken to call for help.
The establishment of a culture of resuscitation in Germany could prove vital in reducing the number of sudden cardiac arrests each year, which stands at around 136,000. The ADAC Foundation's call to action is a step towards a safer and more responsive society.
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