Dear residents of Wiesbaden,

It is not only during daily emergency response operations but also in the face of extraordinary challenges—such as providing care for refugees in 2015 or setting up and operating the vaccination center during the COVID-19 pandemic—that the importance of close coordination among non-police emergency response services in the state capital of Wiesbaden has become evident.

Consequently, in 2016, the decision was made to bring the emergency medical services and medical emergency response under one organizational roof with the fire department. Until that point, the emergency medical services had been administered by the Public Health Department, meaning the two functions were assigned to two different departments. The decision to transfer responsibility for the emergency medical services to the professional fire department was a strategic turning point at the time. It was driven by the conviction that by more closely integrating our capabilities, we could sustainably improve the quality, efficiency, and future viability of emergency care in Wiesbaden.

Today, ten years later, we can say: This decision was the right one. What has developed during this time is impressive. A comparatively small organizational unit has become a high-performing department with clear structures, a growing workforce, and a high level of professional expertise. This growth symbolizes the increasing importance of the emergency medical services—and the responsibility we bear as a city.

I would particularly like to highlight the consistent advancement through innovation. A multitude of pioneering projects have been implemented in recent years: The close collaboration with the “Independent Living in Old Age” division within the Department of Social Services, where emergency medical service staff identify social needs among their patients and can involve their colleagues at the social services office via a standardized feedback system, demonstrates that the emergency medical service can be far more than just an emergency response.

Another milestone was the introduction of “Mobile Rescuers”—an app-based first-responder system that alerts the nearest first responder in cases of suspected cardiac arrest to shorten the treatment-free interval. The “Mobile Rescuers” network, which now comprises over 700 dedicated volunteers, has reduced the average response time for resuscitation from about eight minutes to just over three minutes.
 
The “Midwife on Site” project will launch this summer and will significantly improve the availability of care for expectant mothers in our city. Participating midwives will then be alerted simultaneously with the emergency medical services upon receiving the call code “labor onset” to bring additional expertise and obstetric experience to the scene as quickly as possible.

Important strides have also been made in the field of high-performance medicine. With the intensive care transport vehicle and the ability to deploy a mobile ECMO team in collaboration with Helios HSK, top-tier medical care is being made available in a mobile and flexible manner. This is a real win—not just for Wiesbaden, but for the entire region.

All these projects embody a modern understanding of public services: networked, forward-looking, and oriented toward people’s needs.

While acknowledging the individual projects and developments, I would like to emphasize one point in particular: The strength of this system lies in its structure. The close organizational link between emergency medical services, the fire department, and the Central Control Center is far more than an administrative structure—it is a key factor in the success of modern emergency response. By pooling resources, synergies can be leveraged—whether in terms of personnel, infrastructure, training, or technology. Especially in times of tight budgets, it is our duty to act economically without compromising on quality. The past ten years show that both are possible.

Another key factor for success is the close organizational and operational integration of the emergency medical services and the central dispatch center. The vast majority of calls handled by the dispatch center involve the emergency medical services. The quality of the emergency call handling, the correct prioritization of calls, the selection of appropriate resources, and the allocation of available resources often determine the course of an operation within the first few minutes.

This is precisely why the close proximity between the emergency medical service provider, the dispatch center, and operational hazard response is of particular importance. Short coordination channels, shared quality standards, and the ability to immediately incorporate developments into training, technology, and operational control play a decisive role in ensuring the high quality of emergency care in Wiesbaden on a long-term basis.

The strength of integrated structures is particularly evident in extraordinary situations. Whether major disasters, pandemics, or complex operational scenarios—well-rehearsed procedures, short decision-making chains, and a shared understanding of the situation are invaluable in such circumstances.

Ultimately, it is all about trust. The citizens of our city rely on help arriving quickly, professionally, and reliably—whether it is a fire, an accident, or a medical emergency. This trust is the foundation of our actions. An efficient and well-organized emergency response system strengthens this trust day by day.

Ten years is an important milestone—but not an endpoint. The coming years will bring new challenges. However, when we look at what has been achieved in Wiesbaden over the past years, we can say with confidence: Our city is well-positioned for the future.

My thanks go to everyone who has contributed to this development—the staff in the emergency medical services, the fire department, the Central Dispatch Center, the administration, the hospitals, and all partner organizations. Your dedication, your expertise, and your willingness to take on responsibility are the foundation of this success—we will also celebrate this at a small reception at City Hall at the end of June. 

Sincerely

Gert-Uwe Mende
Lord Mayor