Rettungsdienst-Kooperation in Schleswig-Holstein (RKiSH) gGmbH

Rettungsdienst-Kooperation in Schleswig-Holstein (RKiSH) gGmbH is a municipally owned, non-profit emergency medical services (EMS) provider in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein. It was established with effect from 1 January 2005 and is headquartered in Heide (Holstein). The company is organised as a gemeinnützige GmbH (gGmbH), a non-profit limited liability company, whose shareholders are the participating districts. Its founding shareholders were the districts of Dithmarschen, Pinneberg and Rendsburg-Eckernförde; the district of Steinburg joined on 1 January 2007 and the district of Segeberg followed at the beginning of 2019. RKiSH is responsible for emergency rescue (Notfallrettung) and qualified patient transport (qualifizierter Krankentransport) in its member districts. According to its own communications, around 1,500 employees serve a catchment area of roughly 1,130,000 residents, operating a network of 45 round-the-clock rescue stations. The organisation runs both emergency ambulances (Rettungswagen) for time-critical incidents and patient transport vehicles (Krankentransportwagen) for planned transfers, admissions and discharges. Its fleet is largely standardised around the so-called "Schleswig-Holstein model" of multi-purpose ambulances built by GSF Sonderfahrzeugbau, with additional patient transport vehicles from Ambulanz Mobile introduced from early 2023. Beyond day-to-day operations, RKiSH operates an academy for emergency medical training, including simulation-based instruction and a training rescue vehicle (T-RTW) for realistic scenario practice. It also engages in public education and community activities, such as its long-running teddy bear "Tommy" programme for children and medical standby support at major events like the Wacken Open Air festival. As a municipal cooperation, RKiSH represents a model of publicly organised EMS that contrasts with the more common German practice of delegating rescue services to charitable aid organisations such as the German Red Cross or Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe.

Rettungsdienst-Kooperation in Schleswig-Holstein (RKiSH) gGmbH was founded with effect from 1 January 2005, with its registered office in Heide (Holstein). The founding shareholders were the districts of Dithmarschen, Pinneberg and Rendsburg-Eckernförde. The aim was to organise emergency medical services under municipal ownership more efficiently and uniformly. In these districts, rescue services had already largely been operated directly by the districts themselves, in contrast to many other regions of Germany where charitable organisations such as the German Red Cross or Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe are commonly commissioned. The establishment of the company was not uncontroversial, particularly in the district of Pinneberg. Parts of the workforce were critical of the merger, and at one point a citizens' petition (Bürgerbegehren) was even considered. After intensive negotiations between the trade union Ver.di and the district administration, however, this was not pursued further. On 8 December 2004, the main committee of the district of Pinneberg finally decided to implement the cooperation. On 1 January 2007, RKiSH also took over the rescue service in the district of Steinburg. This followed the district's termination of the existing contract with the previous rescue service provider active there. With the takeover, several existing rescue stations were integrated into the RKiSH structure. A further significant expansion occurred at the beginning of 2019, when the district of Segeberg joined the cooperation. This was based on a resolution of the district council dated 8 December 2016, which was implemented after a transition phase. Organisationally, RKiSH is structured as a non-profit limited liability company (gGmbH). The shareholders are the participating districts, which thereby jointly assume responsibility for rescue services in their areas. The company headquarters is in Heide (Holstein). Within RKiSH's area of responsibility there are 45 rescue stations staffed around the clock, ensuring comprehensive emergency coverage. The organisation operates both emergency ambulances for emergency rescue and patient transport vehicles for planned transports. In terms of fleet concept and equipment, the RKiSH service area predominantly uses standardised emergency ambulances of the so-called "Schleswig-Holstein model", manufactured by the company GSF Sonderfahrzeugbau. These vehicles follow a state-wide coordinated equipment specification and are designed according to the multi-purpose vehicle principle, meaning they can be used flexibly both for emergency missions and for certain transport tasks. Since the beginning of 2023, however, patient transport vehicles from the company Ambulanz Mobile have increasingly been put into service to meet the increased demand for non-time-critical transfers, admissions and discharges.

• 2023

  From early 2023, RKiSH increasingly puts patient transport vehicles from Ambulanz Mobile into service.

• 2019

  The district of Segeberg joins the cooperation at the beginning of 2019 after a transition phase.

• 2016

  The district council of Segeberg resolves to join the RKiSH cooperation.

• 2007

  RKiSH takes over the rescue service in the district of Steinburg, integrating several existing rescue stations.

• 2005

  RKiSH is founded with effect from 1 January 2005, headquartered in Heide (Holstein), with the districts of Dithmarschen, Pinneberg and Rendsburg-Eckernförde as founding shareholders.

• 2004

  The main committee of the district of Pinneberg decides to implement the RKiSH cooperation.

A municipally owned, non-profit EMS cooperation providing standardised, round-the-clock emergency rescue and patient transport in five Schleswig-Holstein districts, with a strong emphasis on training quality and public safety.

• Emergency rescue (Notfallrettung)

  Time-critical pre-hospital emergency care and transport provided by emergency ambulances staffed by two-person teams.

• Qualified patient transport (qualifizierter Krankentransport)

  Planned transport of patients to and from hospitals, doctors' offices and care homes, including long-distance transfers and return transports.

• RKiSH Academy

  Training academy for emergency medical services, including emergency paramedic training, simulator-based instruction and a training rescue vehicle (T-RTW) for realistic scenarios.

• Event medical standby

  Medical standby and emergency response support at major public events such as the Wacken Open Air festival.

1. 1Startseite - RKISHrkish.de
2. 2Rettungsdienst-Kooperation in Schleswig-Holstein – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org
3. 3Rettungsdienst Kooperation in Schleswig-Holstein – Wikidatawikidata.org