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Ambulances should still be able to drive without paramedics

Lower Saxony's state parliament could take an unusual step next week: The Interior Committee is recommending that MPs adopt a motion tabled by the opposition CDU. The aim is to ensure emergency care with ambulances.

An ambulance from the German Red Cross drives into an evacuation zone. Photo.aussiedlerbote.de
An ambulance from the German Red Cross drives into an evacuation zone. Photo.aussiedlerbote.de

Parliament - Ambulances should still be able to drive without paramedics

Because there are too few emergency paramedics, ambulances in Lower Saxony will continue to be staffed by paramedics in the coming years. The CDU had warned that without this step, not all ambulances could be deployed from January onwards, as the current exemption expires at the end of December. The Interior Committee has now recommended that the state parliament adopt a corresponding CDU bill next week and extend the deadline until the end of 2026.

"In view of the shortage of emergency paramedics, we must find pragmatic solutions in order to achieve the best possible emergency care for the people of Lower Saxony," said CDU parliamentary group leader Sebastian Lechner.

The committee's recommendation is politically remarkable: if the state parliament adopts the CDU motion, it will be the first opposition bill to be successful in parliament in this legislative period, according to the parliamentary group. "I am pleased to see that the Red-Greens have apparently come to their senses and recognized the necessity of the CDU parliamentary group's bill," said Lechner.

The Ministry of the Interior, as the supervisory authority for the 50 municipal rescue service providers, explained that it had not yet received any indications from the providers that ambulances could not be deployed without the extension of the exemption. The ministry also pointed out that almost 5,800 certificates for emergency paramedics have been issued since 2014. However, there is no figure available on how many of these graduates also work in Lower Saxony.

Lower Saxony Rescue Services Act Recommendation of the Committee on Internal Affairs

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Source: www.stern.de

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