ambulance
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ambulance
A special vehicle equipped with medical equipment to treat sick or injured people in an emergency and transport them quickly to the hospital. Often abbreviated as RTW in German.
Nach dem Unfall war der Rettungswagen innerhalb von Minuten vor Ort.
After the accident, the ambulance was on the scene within minutes.
The word is made up of 'die Rettung' (rescue) and 'der Wagen' (vehicle/car). 'Die Rettung' comes from the verb 'retten' (to rescue/save). So a 'Rettungswagen' is literally a 'vehicle for rescuing'.
Ein Kind hatte einen Unfall, zum Glück war der Rettungswagen schnell da.
A child had an accident; luckily the ambulance arrived quickly.
The most important and common verb combination is 'den Rettungswagen rufen' (to call an ambulance) or 'alarmieren' (to alert/call out). This is the standard phrasing in an emergency.
Wenn jemand bewusstlos ist, sollte man sofort einen Rettungswagen rufen.
If someone is unconscious, you should call an ambulance immediately.
To describe transport, you use 'mit dem Rettungswagen' (by ambulance). To describe being inside the vehicle, you say 'im Rettungswagen' (in the ambulance).
Der Verletzte wurde mit dem Rettungswagen abtransportiert.
The injured person was transported away by ambulance.
In professional usage, for example among the police, fire department, or in news reports, the abbreviation 'RTW' is often used. It is usually understood by the general public as well.
Ein RTW wurde zur Unfallstelle geschickt.
An ambulance was sent to the accident site.
rescue service
'Rettungsdienst' and 'Rettungswagen' are closely related, but they do not mean the same thing. The 'Rettungsdienst' is the organization with trained professionals who help in medical emergencies. The 'Rettungswagen' is the vehicle that brings this help and is used to transport patients. Learners may confuse the words because in everyday life you often see both together. If you mean the people or the organization, 'Rettungsdienst' fits. If you mean the vehicle, 'Rettungswagen' fits.
Vor dem Haus stand ein Rettungswagen mit eingeschaltetem Blaulicht.
An ambulance was parked in front of the house with its blue lights on.
Der Rettungsdienst versorgte die verletzte Frau direkt auf der Straße.
The rescue service treated the injured woman right there on the street.