Guides · Events · 3 min read
The 4-minute rule: how many defibrillators does an event need?
Every point on the site should be reachable with a defibrillator within 4 minutes – that is what the Berlin Fire Brigade requires. What this means for planning.
In short: The Berlin Fire Brigade guidance note requires that every point on the event site is reached by the event medical services with an AED within 4 minutes – across at least 90 % of the area.
Why 4 minutes?
In cardiac arrest, the chance of survival falls markedly with every minute without resuscitation and defibrillation. After roughly four to five minutes the brain begins to suffer damage. That is why it is not the number of devices that counts, but the time to the patient.
How planning works
- Mark routes on the site plan – every metre takes longer through a crowd
- Carry AEDs with mobile teams rather than only storing them at the station
- Consider bottlenecks, stands and remote areas separately
- At sports events, cover the start, finish and mid-point of the course
How many devices does that make in the end?
Depending on the points total, the Berlin Fire Brigade scheme specifies 1 to 10 AEDs. With 7 points, for example, it is 3. What remains decisive is the 4-minute limit for your specific site.
How to calculate the 4 minutes for your site
Four minutes are shorter than they sound. Within that time the alert must reach the team, the team must set off, cover the distance and apply the device. That leaves roughly two to three minutes for the actual journey. In open space, a team with equipment covers a good 200 metres in that time – considerably less in a dense crowd, on stands or on stairs.
As a rule of thumb for planning: in open areas allow a radius of roughly 150 to 200 metres per device, and half of that in a dense crowd. Where fences, barriers or stages block the direct route, the actual walking route counts, not the straight-line distance.
Number of AEDs under the Berlin scheme
| Total points | Defibrillators |
|---|---|
| 1 to 4 | 1 |
| 5 | 2 |
| 6 to 8 | 3 |
| 9 | 4 |
| 10 to 11 | 5 |
The table gives the minimum number. If it is not enough to reach 90 % of the area within four minutes, more devices are needed.
Including the venue’s existing devices
Many halls, stadiums and hotels have their own defibrillators. They can supplement the planning if three things are clarified: the device is maintained and ready for use, it is freely accessible during the event, and the team knows where it is. They cannot replace the event medical services’ devices, because they do not travel with the team.
Special case: running events
On a running course the site is kilometres long. Fixed posts at the start and finish have proved effective, plus bicycle or vehicle teams with a defibrillator covering sections of the course. Most cardiac emergencies occur in the last quarter of the course and in the finish area – that is where the densest coverage belongs.
What laypeople can do
An AED explains itself: switch it on, follow the voice instructions, stick on the electrodes. There is little you can do wrong. What matters is not to interrupt chest compressions until the device prompts you to. This is practised in every first aid course.
Frequently asked questions
Does the organiser have to provide the defibrillators?
No. They are part of the event medical services’ equipment and, with us, part of the equipment flat rate.
What does “at least 90 % of the area” mean?
Every point on at least 90 % of the site must be reachable with an AED within four minutes. For hard-to-reach peripheral areas, the guidance note allows a small margin.
Does the 4-minute rule also apply in Brandenburg?
It comes from the Berlin Fire Brigade guidance note. As a professional benchmark it makes sense everywhere, though, and many authorities use it as a guide.
Related service: Sports event medical services from Pandemedics – quote on working days within 2 hours.
Keep reading
Calculating event medical services in Berlin: how the Berlin Fire Brigade scheme works
How many medics does an event in Berlin need? The Berlin Fire Brigade assessment scheme explained step by step – with an example and calculator.
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Checklist: planning event medical services for your event in 8 steps
From approval to incident report: this checklist shows organisers in Berlin and Brandenburg how to plan event medical services properly.
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From how many visitors do you need event medical services in Berlin?
From 500 people present at the same time, the Berlin Fire Brigade generally requires event medical services. The thresholds of 500, 1,000 and 3,000 at a glance.
Read more →Your event deserves cover you can rely on.
Tell us briefly what you are planning – on working days you will have a binding quote within 2 hours.