History of emergency medicine in Germany

The beginnings of organized emergency care can be traced through military history dating back to the Middle Ages. In 1769, the first civilian rescue society was established to look after shipwrecked persons. Sociological and technical requirements of the late 19th century led to the formation of different rescue associations and to writing of regulations for rescue and ambulance services. The development of quality assurance was interrupted by World War I. Around 1930, the rescue service was mostly the responsibility of the Red Cross and fire brigades but included the first actions of emergency physicians. Today the rescue service functions to bring a physician, often an anesthesiologist, to the victim as quickly as possible. Modern rescue laws fix a lead time of 5 to 15 minutes for a professional rescue service to reach the scene. The medical equipment and qualifications of personnel treating life-threatening trauma and diseases have improved, and in this context, the role of the anesthesiologist is important.