Munich, June 5 – Three 16-year-olds from Allgäu, who were enjoying a day trip to Munich during their Whitsun holidays, are being hailed as heroes after their swift actions saved an elderly man’s life. The incident occurred on Wednesday at the intersection of Goethestrasse and Bayerstrasse, where the teenagers observed the man suddenly collapse and become unresponsive.
Immediate Action by Young Lifesavers
Without hesitation, the teenagers, who had recently completed a first aid course as part of their driving license training just two weeks prior, sprang into action. According to a fire department spokesperson on Friday, one teenager checked the man’s vital signs, while another immediately called the emergency number 112. When it became apparent that the unconscious man was no longer breathing, they began cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), assisted by two additional women who joined the effort.
Simultaneously, the third teenager quickly retrieved an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) from a nearby hotel. These devices are specifically designed for use by laypersons and only deliver an electric shock after a secure analysis of the heart rhythm. They often also contain ventilation masks.
Textbook First Aid Limits Critical Interval
The coordinated efforts of the teenagers ensured that all essential components of resuscitation were performed before the fire department and rescue services arrived. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation maintained blood flow to the brain, ventilation provided sufficient oxygen to the blood, and the electric shock from the defibrillator served as the only effective therapy for ventricular fibrillation in the initial phase.
The observed collapse and immediate response minimized the critical ‘therapy-free interval.’ As a rule of thumb for this critical period, the chance of survival decreases by approximately ten percent for every minute without resuscitation measures. After just a few minutes, the brain suffers irreparable damage due to a lack of oxygen supply.
