Everyone can save lives: Maltese first aid courses start again!

Everyone can save lives: Maltese first aid courses start again!

International First Aid Day is on the calendar on September 13th and draws attention to the urgency of first aid knowledge. Every year around 50,000 people in Germany suffer a cardiac arrest outside of hospitals. This is a worrying signal as it is estimated that up to 10,000 lives could be saved if more people were able to provide first aid. The Malteser Relief Organization organizes a series of events and courses around this topic in order to raise awareness and train the population. As Andrea Hirth, training officer for the Maltese in the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising, emphasizes, regular first aid courses are essential to stop the drift in willingness to help.

Most accidents or illnesses that require first aid occur especially in your own four walls or in your free time. The fear of doing something wrong in an emergency prevents many people from taking action. Everyone can be a first responder and help at the crucial moment by making an emergency call and taking the first steps. On the Malteser website you will find a wide range of information about courses that are offered all year round so that inhibitions can be reduced and people will be less afraid to help. According to Innsalzach24, it is particularly important that the course content is current circumstances were adapted, for example by integrating defibrillators into standard training.

A wide range of courses offered by the Malteser

The Maltese not only offer classic first aid courses, but also special training such as the “Heart Saver” training, which focuses on cardiopulmonary resuscitation. These training courses last around 45 to 60 minutes and are aimed at various target groups, from individuals to clubs. During a cardiac arrest, every second counts, and the person's survival often depends on first responders until emergency medical services arrive. As the Malteser point out, together with the German Society for Anesthesiology & Intensive Care Medicine (DGAI), the appeal was made to the population: If more people started resuscitation, around 10,000 lives could be saved every year.

Despite these urgent messages, data shows that far too few people in Germany actually provide first aid. A report by Spiegel shows that the inhibition threshold for taking action in an emergency is often higher than necessary. It is therefore crucial that more people have the necessary knowledge and self-confidence to not look the other way in an emergency but to help.

In short, International First Aid Day invites everyone to find out about the possibilities of first aid training and perhaps even take action themselves. Anyone can be a hero and save lives at the crucial moment - you just have to take the first step!