Curious work-related topic.
In the first aid classes required for the driver's license, you'll hear about § 323 c StGB - at least when you're in Germany. It concerns every person's obligation to help to the best of ones knowledge, in case of emergency and injury. There's no excuse to NOT help someone in need, especially as the most basic step, a phone call, is possible for nearly everyone (unless, oh, there isn't a phone).
The only exceptions of hands-on-help are: 1.) if the required action is not to be expected of somebody, 2.) if the helping person is going to be in deadly danger, and 3.) if one would otherwise neglect another important duty, i.e. the responsibility for a small child or otherwise incapable/handicapped person. So no, if you can't swim, you won't be punished for not jumping to the rescue when someone is drowning, likewise you can't be blamed when you decide to not enter a burning house. (But even then you can still set off a call).
According to the article, Sabbath has in the past troubled rigourously religious paramedics/ambulance men of the israelic Red Cross' equivalent ("Magen David Adom") in regards to doing their job. With work being prohibited on saturday, the operation of electronic gadgets apparently also seems to have been included, making communication harder; introduced beepers where a mere compromise in finding the callers.
In a job where seconds count, the rescuers now found a way out - the operation of the mobile phone's keyboard with aid of a small metal stick seems to have found the rabbis' approval, as long as it's held between the teeth.
I'll let that stand for itself.
"Jetzt Notruf am Sabbat möglich - Mit den Zähnen am Handy" (Source: n-tv.de, text in German).
The only exceptions of hands-on-help are: 1.) if the required action is not to be expected of somebody, 2.) if the helping person is going to be in deadly danger, and 3.) if one would otherwise neglect another important duty, i.e. the responsibility for a small child or otherwise incapable/handicapped person. So no, if you can't swim, you won't be punished for not jumping to the rescue when someone is drowning, likewise you can't be blamed when you decide to not enter a burning house. (But even then you can still set off a call).
According to the article, Sabbath has in the past troubled rigourously religious paramedics/ambulance men of the israelic Red Cross' equivalent ("Magen David Adom") in regards to doing their job. With work being prohibited on saturday, the operation of electronic gadgets apparently also seems to have been included, making communication harder; introduced beepers where a mere compromise in finding the callers.
In a job where seconds count, the rescuers now found a way out - the operation of the mobile phone's keyboard with aid of a small metal stick seems to have found the rabbis' approval, as long as it's held between the teeth.
I'll let that stand for itself.
"Jetzt Notruf am Sabbat möglich - Mit den Zähnen am Handy" (Source: n-tv.de, text in German).