Where is your protective guardian, my dear?
In Bremen, Germany, finding a defibrillator in an emergency situation can be a challenge without a public map. However, there are strategies that can help, and a potential solution is on the horizon.
Strategies for Locating Defibrillators in Bremen
- Use First Aid Apps: Some countries have apps that help locate Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs). Although there is no specific app in Bremen, apps like "Good Sam" in other regions perform similar functions. It's worth checking if any equivalent apps are available in Germany or Bremen.
- Contact Local Authorities or Emergency Services: In an emergency, contacting local emergency services or city authorities can provide immediate assistance. They may have access to databases or maps that can help locate the nearest defibrillator.
- Ask Locals or Businesses: Many public places like shopping centers, sports complexes, or larger businesses often have defibrillators on site. Asking locals or checking with nearby businesses might yield useful information.
- Check Public Places: Look for defibrillators in public areas such as airports, train stations, or large public buildings. These locations are more likely to have them installed.
- Community Awareness: Raising awareness among the local community about the need for defibrillator maps or apps could lead to initiatives that provide better access to such information.
A Potential Solution: The First Aider App
The Green-Bürgerfraktion, a political group in Bremen, has submitted a motion to the Senate, urging them to prioritize strengthening lay resuscitation. One of the measures in this motion is the development of a first aider app based on the Bremerhaven model. This app would store the locations of defibrillators, making it easier for people to access them in emergencies.
Ralph Saxe, health policy spokesperson for the Green-Bürgerfraktion, considers reanimation and knowledge about it to be at the center of society. He supports the development of signage in the city center to make defibrillators more visible. The motion could potentially lead to the development of such signage.
Lea Schunk, spokesperson for Health Senator Claudia Bernhard, emphasizes the importance of defibrillator availability. She stresses that the provision in public spaces is just one aspect of reducing the number of sudden cardiac deaths. She encourages all residents of Bremen to be aware that everyone can help in case of a medical emergency.
Despite the absence of a public map due to a lack of legal basis for providing automated external defibrillators in public places, the motion calls for central recording of publicly accessible defibrillator locations to ensure coverage. This would simplify finding defibrillators in an emergency, particularly in areas where medical emergencies frequently occur and in rural areas with delayed professional emergency services.
There is no obligation to report existing defibrillators to an authority in Bremen, and there is no central registry of defibrillators in the city. However, the potential implementation of a first aider app could change this, making it easier for everyone to help in a medical emergency.
- Recognizing the importance of defibrillator availability, especially for cardiovascular health in emergencies, a potential solution in Bremen is the development of a first aider app, modeled after the Bremerhaven one, that will store defibrillator locations, Helpful in locating these life-saving devices.
- In an effort to promote health and wellness, and reduce sudden cardiac deaths, the Green-Bürgerfraktion has proposed signage for defibrillators in the city center, thus increasing their visibility during emergencies, and potentially even contributing to a wider community awareness about various medical conditions and the importance of first aid.
