Ströer and Herzretter present defibrillator in digital media carrier

As part of a pilot project between the Ströer media company, the Hamburg-based Herzretter, and Medical Industrie, a defibrillator has been installed in a digital media carrier (column) in a public space for the first time. It can save lives in an emergency and makes a valuable contribution to the HerzretterStadt Hamburg [Heart Saving City of Hamburg] initiative. A defibrillator is now freely accessible to passers-by at any time in a specially designed Ströer column in a public space on Grosser Burstah (near numbers 6-10).

In Germany, around 120,000 people suffer a cardiac arrest away from a hospital every year. After acute cardiovascular failure, the brain can only survive for three minutes without oxygen. This causes irreparable damage and the chances of survival are slim after just ten minutes. The time until professional rescue teams arrive must be bridged by first aiders on the scene performing chest compressions and, if one is available, using a defibrillator. It is therefore vital to provide automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) that are accessible to the public at all times and can be operated by laypeople.

There are currently several thousand registered defibrillator locations in Germany, for example in public buildings such as town halls, administrative buildings, museums and libraries, as well as shopping centres, supermarkets and sports facilities. However, the availability of AEDs in public buildings is often limited to the opening hours of the respective facility. The solution developed in collaboration with Ströer for public spaces, on the other hand, can be used at any time in an emergency. 

Melanie Schlotzhauer, Senator for Social Affairs of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg says, “in the event of cardiac arrest, quick action is crucial and can save lives.” That is why it is important that people step in boldly when someone needs help. The defibrillator presented today, which is accessible around the clock, means that it is now possible for anyone to provide quick and effective assistance in an emergency.”

“A publicly accessible defibrillator can save lives in emergencies. With our project in collaboration with Herzretter and the City of Hamburg, we are giving passers-by in public spaces the opportunity to provide immediate assistance in an emergency at any time. Our media carriers are primarily located in high-traffic inner-city areas such as pedestrian zones – exactly where they are needed in an emergency. They are also already equipped with the necessary power connections and offer the space required to ensure multifunctional use," says Alexander Stotz, CEO of Ströer Media Deutschland GmbH. 

“This project, the first of its kind in Germany, sends an important signal in the context of the HerzretterStadt Hamburg initiative. With the help of the defibrillator, which is accessible to the public around the clock, every individual can take responsibility for the life of another person. With everyone's involvement, more than 10,000 lives can be saved in Germany every year,” says Dr Martin Buchholz, founder of Herzretter.

“As a company, we are delighted to be part of this special project and to make Hamburg heart safe,” says Marcel Guth, Head of Field Sales at Medical Industrie GmbH & Co. KG.

The publicly accessible defibrillator on Grosser Burstah works as follows:

1. The AED is attached to one of the three sides of the column so that it is clearly visible and is marked with the internationally recognised emergency symbol ‘AED’ with a white heart on a green background.
2. In an emergency, the box should be opened and the AED removed. The device resembles a small suitcase with two cables attached to it, with electrodes at the ends.
3. When it is turned on, the AED provides precise operating instructions via a built-in voice function.

People in the picture from left to right: Malte Claussen, heart attack victim who was saved by the ‘Herzetter’, Alexander Stotz (CEO Ströer Media Deutschland GmbH), Melanie Schlotzhauer (Social Senator of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg), Dr Martin Buchholz (founder of Herzretter e. V.), Godo Savinsky (Medical Director of the Hamburg Fire Brigade's Emergency Medical Services)