Yet fresh figures paint a troubling picture: just 50% of bystanders even attempt chest compressions, and fewer than 10% perform them correctly. The consequences are stark—women are more likely to die after a cardiac arrest than men, a gap that experts say could narrow with better first-aid training.
The formula “check, call, press” is simple enough, but hesitation remains high. To lower the barrier, medical professionals increasingly advocate for hands-only CPR—chest compressions without rescue breaths. Eliminating the need for mouth-to-mouth helps overcome a major psychological hurdle for would-be rescuers.
While boosting bystander CPR rates is vital, many workplaces still overlook a critical gap in their first-aid preparedness. Without a documented risk assessment, you may
A Radical Approach in the Philippines
Half a world away, the Philippines’ health ministry is taking an aggressive stance: at least one person per household must learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The campaign uses the easy-to-remember sequence “Check, Call, Compress, Connect.” A national resuscitation day is scheduled for July 17.
Back in Germany, similar but less sweeping efforts are underway. In the Schleswig-Flensburg district, new teaching materials on civil protection—covering fire alarms and crisis simulations—were released for grades 1 through 12. Within the first week, they were downloaded roughly 200 times.
Digital Tools Shorten the Rescue Chain
Smartphones are also playing a growing role. The Saving Life App alerts registered volunteers when a cardiac arrest is reported nearby. In the Gütersloh district, the “Mobile Retter” network expanded its alarm system on July 7 to cover multiple regions at once. Since its launch in 2013, the roughly 1,200 volunteer responders have handled over 8,040 emergencies.
Sometimes it takes a disaster to spark investment. In Hagen-Grinden, the local government installed a public defibrillator at a bus stop after the 2023/2024 Christmas floods temporarily blocked emergency vehicles.
Crisis Management Gains a Following
Interest in preparedness is climbing—not just for medical emergencies. The Federal Academy for Civil Protection and Civil Defense (BABZ) in Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler has seen participant numbers jump: from 1,845 in 2022 to 2,329 in 2024, and further to 3,656 in 2025. A key driver is the 2021 Ahr Valley flood disaster, which exposed gaps in Germany’s crisis response.
A recent exercise called Familia Communalis, held in early July 2026, tested coordination during severe storms and power outages. Eighteen cities and towns took part.
But even the best-laid plans can be derailed by weather. On July 9—Germany’s national population protection day—seven municipalities in the Main-Kinzig district set up information stands on emergency supplies and heat safety. Originally, seventeen had planned to participate, but extreme temperatures forced many to cancel.
