First aid courses for a German driver's license

From what I have gathered I understand that I have to take a First Aid course in the process of converting my US drivers license to a German one. Does anyone have any experience with this or know of one that is offered in English?

pao,

S.Carolina has one of the driver's license exchange agreements with Germany. Do you have a S.Carolina license or could you get one on your next trip home. This is the easiest way and cheapest! to get a German license. Check out the embassy webpage for info.

http://www.usembassy.de/services/e33_11.htm

Bee

I don't know if that will work at this point. I have heard of people running into problems with doing this. If you get a license issued in the States after you move here, then they may not accept it.

it should be no problem if you can produce a driving record from SC saying that you had a license there long before you moved here (say during High School or something). Then you can simply claim that you renewed it since you drive there on holiday, etc...

I know three people who have done this. It's worth a try since it will save you considerable $$$

otherwise, I did the first aid course at a location next to Ostbahnhof Station, run by the german first-aid org (in english).

I took this first aid course for the license and it was in German and I didn't understand much of anything. It was more like I sat there, watched what they were doing (with the accident dummy) and mimicked it. I had a translator there (my wife) but I think it wouldn't matter if you had one or not. It's for the most part pretty useless. I can't imagine you'll remember much from a one day First Aid course a year from now. Just sign up, attend, tell the instructor you speak English (or maybe a little German if you do) they'll speak slow and use their hands to explain things probably to see that you get the point. After 8 hours (ugh, it's horrible!) you get your little certificate saying you took the course and then you're good to go.

That was how it worked for me. It's a boring day, but it gets the job done.

Frito

at Ostbahnhof, they do do English courses. I think it's the first saturday of every month.

There is indeed a first aid course run in English at Ostbahnhof.
I'd reccommend doing it in English, even if your German is 'allright' -
as it's about 6 hours long, and was exhausting\boring enough in English!!

Straight from a Driving Schools www page:
http://www.fahrschule-christine-timmer.de/english.htm

>>You have to attend a class in Immediate Life-Saving Measures ( „Sofortmaßnahmen am Unfallort"). The Red Cross and comparable organizations offer them at regular intervals; the "Allgemeine Sanitätshilfe" does classes in English, too. <<

Click http://www.notfallmedizin.de/en/ausbildung/lsm.html for the Allgemeine Sanitätshilfe course details... in english!

The english course takes place regularly every first and third Saturday in the month. Location: Orleansplatz 11.
If you're not sure where that is, enter it in http://www.hot-maps.de/ , not forgetting to put in München as the City.

You also need an eye test. The "Allgemeine Sanitätshilfe" or any optical store will do the job for approximately Euro 5,-.
DON'T forget your Passport for either the First Aid Course, OR the Eye test.
Normally - during one of the breaks at the first Aid Course, someone comes
along and does an eye test. It's only Eur5, and breaks up the evening,
so I'd reccommend doing that. Make sure you go to the loo before the
6 1/2 hour 1st Aid course, and don't drink too many liquids before hand,
as we had to use the toilet in Ostbahnhof.

Has anyone taken this first aid course lately? Is it still offered at the Ostbahnhof?

Ok,
For a first aid course that is reasonably cheap and also in english,

Go into any dive shop and ask to do an Emergency first Response course.

This pretty much works anywhere and will definately be available in english.

There's also some info here. (The BRK can offer a course in English for the classes A, A1, B, BE, L, M or T.)

Does anyone remember if you have to bring your passport with you? I only have my driver's license (ID) with me today, but it has my picture on it.. is that a good enough Ausweis?

For driving license you require "Sofortmaßnahme am Unfallort" and not "Erste Hilfe".

"Sofortmaßnahme am Unfallort" is usually one afternoon. You need this
if you are taking a fresh license in Germany.

"Erste Hilfe" involves much more effort (days...) It may not be a bad idea
depending what you are involved in (eg certain sports) but is not required
for a driving license.

Well, the Fahrschle gave me a card with the names of the Erste Hilfe Kurs places I have to go.. one of them is at Hauptbahnhof starting today at 4:00. Unfortunately I don't have my passport with me and wanted to know if my license would suffice as an Ausweis.

Go to your nearest dive shop and do the emergency first response course in english. You can pretty much use it for anything that needs a first aid cert

When i did mine i did not need my passport.you just get a piece of paper sayimg you took part and hand that in to your driving instructor.Then again when i did my license over here i had a bloke walking in front of me witha little red flag