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More informationOn his way home from the swimming pool, Björn Steiger is hit by a car. Passers-by alert the police and Red Cross immediately after the accident. Despite this, it takes almost an hour for the ambulance to arrive. Björn does not die from his injuries, he dies of shock.
Björn Steiger was 8 years old when he was hit by the car.
Hilda Heinemann, the wife of the elected Federal President, sends her condolences and pledges her support to the grieving parents Ute and Siegfried Steiger - a promise she kept until her death.
Hilda Heinemann provided the Steigers with important contacts to the federal ministers.
Even after being approached by us, politicians are not prepared to create the conditions for a nationwide rescue service. That is why the Steiger couple, together with seven friends of the family, set up the Björn Steiger Stiftung as a non-profit organisation. The aim is to encourage the development of emergency aid in Germany and then to transfer this task to the responsible organisations and authorities.
Two years are initially planned for the foundation's work.
A friend of the family, Manfred Kerler, develops the seven-pointed "Steiger star" together with Mr and Mrs Steiger. The star symbolises protection, flexibility and the will to change and is still our logo today.
The "Star of Life" (international symbol for rescue service facilities), which is very similar to the Steiger star, was not developed until five years later.
In 1969, almost all taxis had two-way radios, but not ambulances. We offer to pay a third of the equipment costs for the districts in Baden-Württemberg - and thus herald the start of nationwide radio communication in German ambulance transport. On 7 November 1969, the first device is handed over to the German Red Cross.
By 15 August 1970, we have handed over 100 radios worth DM 670,000 to the rescue service.
In 1969, a radio cost more than an ambulance!
An urgent concern needs publicity. As he has so far fallen on deaf ears with politicians, Siegfried Steiger presents a 15-point programme to the interior ministers of the federal states in an open letter. In it, he calls on them to create the conditions for the development of the rescue service.
Politicians are aware of the high number of road deaths, but they are unwilling to do anything about it.
