The First Assistance Samaritan Team (FAST), which is responsible for fast-track aid during crisis abroad, is the first group in Europe to be certified as “Emergency Medical Team (EMT) 1” by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

ASB's FAST team has successfully passed the strict WHO certification process, becoming the first European organization to obtain such certification.

ASB's Emergency Medical Team (EMT) is composed of health professionals (medical and nursing staff, physical therapists, paramedics, etc.) who provide direct clinical care to populations affected by emergencies and disasters and support to local health systems.

WHO "Type I" certification means that ASB EMTs meet the minimum principles and standards established by WHO for mobile or fixed ambulatory emergency care to provide initial ambulatory emergency care for injuries and other significant health care needs. Certified services are triage (selection and classification of patients), condition assessment, first aid, stabilization and transfer of patients with severe trauma and other non-trauma emergencies and finally definitive care of patients with minor trauma and other non-trauma emergencies. A Type 1 EMT must have at least 3 doctors, 9 health assistants and care for at least 50 patients per day.

In order to provide this service, ASB's EMT has 120 health professionals trained to operate in emergencies and with the necessary equipment and supplies, such as tents, stretchers, medical supplies, water purification plants, etc.

"We have seen that the ASB EMT meets the high standards required and we congratulate them on this," said Dr Ian Norton, who is responsible for the WHO certification process, adding: "Your experience is impressive and we hope you will bring it to the table in future joint work. Together with six other WHO officials, the expert has verified compliance with the processes and standards by the ASB EMT on 13-14 June 2017 in Frankfurt and Darmstadt, Germany.

"For us, the ASB, this WHO certification has a special significance as we are committed to high standards in emergency operations," said Mr. Ludwig Fröhlich, ASB Federal Executive, "We are pleased and very proud to be able to respond to emergencies in the future under the leadership of the WHO.