First Aid and Culture

A while ago I took a first aid (CPR) course for one of the projects I am involved in. Always useful, especially since my last first aid course was at least 30 years ago. Time for a refresher!

That you must place the warning triangle at least 50 meters behind the car. (Although that 50 meters is not literally stated in the German Straßenverkehrs-Ordnung (StVO) § 53a)

That as a first aid volunteer you are legally well protected. (§ 323c StGB)

You are required to call 112 if you believe it is necessary. (§ 323c StGB) If you don’t, you are committing an offense.

That it is mandatory to have a safety vest (Warnweste) in your car. (§ 53a StVZO) Not having one results in a fine.

That the (also mandatory, StVZO § 35h) first aid kit in your car contains fewer items than a professional first aid kit (such as scissors).

Do you see the pattern? A large part of the course was about knowing which law applies. And the discussions sometimes went like this:

  • Question from a volunteer: “If I see an accident on the road and park my car behind it, do I first have to place my warning triangle?” “And then I also have to put on my vest first, otherwise I’ll get a fine?”
  • Answer: “Yes, according to StVZO § 53a you must place it and also wear a vest. Otherwise you can indeed get a fine.” (without a smile…)
  • Question from a volunteer: “And when I’m done, do I then first remove my warning triangle (otherwise I could get a fine according to StVO § 15 and the Kreislaufwirtschaftsgesetz, KrWG), but then my car is technically briefly without a warning triangle? How does that work?”
  • And on it went, and on it went…

The most practical part? A real playlist with songs that set the correct tempo for CPR.

But honestly: as a cultural experience it was fantastic. Fascinating to see how seriously rules are taken here. And I was the only one who wanted to take cheerful photos with the “equipment parts” — they had never seen that before. A little touch of Dutch down-to-earthness among a lot of laws and regulations I could almost feel my nose fill up with. #laugh