Lilies support the „HEART SAFE“ initiative

Every eight minutes, someone in Germany suffers a sudden cardiac arrest – in everyday life, at home, or while playing sports. What happens in the first few minutes before emergency services arrive is crucial for survival. If bystanders begin CPR immediately, the chances of survival increase significantly. This is precisely where HERZSICHER (Heart Safe) comes in: The initiative offers free training courses on chest compressions and the use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs).

SV Darmstadt 98, the Björn Steiger Foundation, and the German Heart Foundation are working together to promote this free program. „60 minutes can save a life,“ says Pierre-Enric Steiger, President of the Björn Steiger Foundation. „Our goal is to train as many people as possible in Darmstadt and the surrounding area.“

„Join us and help us save lives and increase the rate of layperson CPR in Germany by registering for a free training course,“ emphasises Dr. Sinann Al Najem of the German Heart Foundation: „Because in the case of cardiac arrest, the chances of survival decrease by about ten percent with every minute without resuscitation.“

Anyone can become a potential lifesaver this way. Via the platform www.herzsicher.de. Clubs, businesses, and individuals can book free training sessions. The unique aspect: Participants choose the location, date, and time themselves. Certified trainers come directly to the club, company, or even the participant’s home. There, they provide practical training for groups of eight or more people in approximately 60 minutes.

SV Darmstadt 98 is leading by example. They offered a full day of training for all employees and are also planning to purchase AEDs.

More information at www.herzsicher.de.

The Björn Steiger Foundation was established in 1969 by Ute and Siegfried Steiger after their son died following a traffic accident due to inadequate emergency care. Since then, the foundation has been tirelessly committed to improving emergency medical services in Germany. Its pioneering initiatives include the introduction of the emergency numbers 110/112, the founding and development of the German Air Rescue Service (DRF), and the installation of emergency call boxes along federal and state highways. The foundation aims to raise awareness of shortcomings in emergency care, stimulate public discourse, and contribute to better emergency services through its own projects, such as the neonatal ambulance and the HeartSafe initiative, as well as concrete solutions – including, in 2025, the filing of a constitutional complaint to create uniform regulations for emergency medical services. Further information is available at: www.steiger-stiftung.de

The German Heart Foundation (Deutsche Herzstiftung e. V.) was founded in 1979 and is today the largest non-profit and independent resource for patients and interested individuals in the field of cardiovascular diseases. One of the Heart Foundation’s main tasks is to provide patients with independent information about cardiovascular diseases, their prevention, and current diagnostic and treatment options. The Heart Foundation is also known for its nationwide awareness campaigns and as a key funding institution for cardiovascular research. The high quality of its information services is due in no small part to the expertise of the approximately 500 heart specialists on the Heart Foundation’s Scientific Advisory Board. The Chairman of the Board is cardiologist Prof. Dr. Thomas Voigtländer (Frankfurt am Main), and the patron is Barbara Genscher. Further information is available at: www.herzstiftung.de