According to their data, the number of emergency service calls by the Berlin Fire Department has increased by almost 50 percent since 2011: from around 287,000 to 424,000 (2021). Over the same time period, the population in Berlin grew by only about 10 percent. More and more people are calling ambulances instead of going to the doctor for minor illnesses such as stomach aches, bruises, sprains, headaches, nausea, minor burns or cuts. Firefighters also complain that their ambulances are often used as a quick means of transportation to the hospital.