In the media

July 11th 2019

WDR 5 Westblick

First-responders during de-escalation training - moderation: Beate Kowollik

July 10th 2019

WDR Lokalzeit aus Aachen

Last weekend, a WDR Lokalzeit team from Aachen paid a visit to the Alsdorf Fire Department and Emergency Services – a DEUS seminar on #de-esalation and #self-protection.

June 6th 2019

Frank Backes in a livestream Interview with 100'5 DAS HITRADIO

May 15th 2019

Super Mittwoch Alsdorf (free magazine)

April 23th 2019

A video report by BRF - Nachrichten Regional (Regional News)

De-escalation: When words are not enough

In many professions, danger is lurking, for example when first-responders are faced with aggressive behaviour. It can easily become a traumatic experience for those involved. Best is not to let the situation drift off that far. Two martial arts experts demonstrate and teach how to respond to such critical situations.

Frank Backes and Mark Springer are simulating a typical office situation. The problem: an aggressive client goes ape-shit. No happy ending. Marc Springer recommends: run away.

The martial arts instructors do not perform lile on a theatre stage, they act as de-escalation and self-protection instructors. This is where the name "Deus" originates: « de-escalation » und "Selbstschutz" ("self-protection" in German). Marc Springer: We have set up this common project earlier this year. It is mainly aimed at those professional groups which have to face uneasy, dangerous and even sometimes aggressive situations in their daily work.

« Deus is a modular programme which we offer these professional groups », the martial arts instructor explain. A ballpen can already serve as a weapon...

Deus will study the danger potential in your workplace and will develop adequate individual training concepts. "We don't teach martial arts", says Frank Backes. "That's only relevant in extreme emergency situations . We try to teach techniques that will be helpful in the case of an escalation".

But sometimes there is no escape from physical contact. The situation panel is quite wide: dealing with angry clients who come to your office and act in a violent way. Often, the healthcare workers do simply not know how to deal with a patient that needs to be evicted from the emergency room. "We advise people on how to manage their daily work in an easier and safer way", the instructors conclude.

mz/rasch

February 28th 2019

Aachener Nachrichten

February 2nd 2019

An audio feat by BRF - Nachrichten Regional

Marc Springer and Frank Backes with Karin Meyer