Emergency services have been given approval for a release by the Commission.
Berlin's Senate has passed a draft for the reform of the Rescue Service Law, aiming to relieve the city's emergency services that are currently under significant strain. The reform intends to enable the rescue service to focus on its core tasks of emergency rescue and emergency transport.
According to Interior Senator Iris Spranger, non-medical emergencies are increasingly being reported to the emergency number. This trend is partially due to demographic change, with an increasing number of older individuals requiring medical help. In 2024, there were nearly half a million deployments in the rescue service, an increase of almost 21,000 from the previous year. To manage this surge, the fire department was able to refer almost 40,000 such deployments to the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians.
The reform also aims to strengthen prevention and health literacy. It includes the expansion of first aid courses to promote a more proactive approach to emergencies. The changes to the law are designed to enable the rescue service to categorize emergencies by urgency, from urgency 1 (heart attacks or strokes) to urgency 5. Around one tenth of all previous deployments fall into urgency level 5, according to State Fire Chief Karsten Homrighausen.
The responsibility for implementing the reform of the Rescue Services Act (Rettungsdienstgesetz) within the government coalition ultimately lies with the individual German federal states (Länder), as they have legislative authority over rescue services according to Article 70 of the Basic Law. The federal government and commissions can propose reforms and frameworks, but the actual implementation and legal changes are carried out by the states.
In addition to the rescue service reform, Berlin is gearing up for a series of upcoming events. The Day of Open Doors of the Federal Government 2025, the Long Night of Museums 2025, the Christopher Street Day 2025, the Lesbian and Gay City Festival 2025, and the Meteor Shower Night 2025 are all set to take place. Photos associated with these events are available, as indicated by the dpa copyright.
A special mention goes to the Love Train 2025 event, for which a photo is also available. This event promises to be a significant cultural highlight in the city.
As the city prepares for these events and the changes in the rescue service, Berliners can look forward to a busy and exciting year ahead. The weather on the given day is expected to be cloudy, becoming increasingly sunny and dry, offering a perfect backdrop for the events and activities planned.
