ERS | monograph Preface Robert Bals Emergency situations in pulmonary medicine are critical for the patient and often stressful for the care providers. The most important factor in the successful management of such situations is to be prepared. Interruption of the function of the lung immediately results in an emergency situation. In the case of severe impairment of gas exchange, a catastrophic outcome will occur within a few minutes if adequate measures are not started. The management of respiratory acute situations is a core capability of respiratory and emergency medicine. Physicians in all areas of pulmonary medicine face critical situations daily. Maintaining the ability to manage emergencies adequately requires keeping knowledge up to date and training in critical procedures. In addition to the basic principles in this area, a number of new techniques and procedures have been developed in recent years. In contrast to the importance of this subject, there are only a few comprehensive textbooks available. This ERS Monograph aims to provide the reader with a detailed overview of emergencies in pulmonary care, from a viewpoint close to the bedside. The book is split into two sections. The first section, on clinical entities, covers the most important emergency situations, while the second section, on acute pulmonary interventions, focuses on key techniques. This structure allows readers to learn systematically or to refresh their knowledge of the theory of pulmonary emergency management, including bedside interventions. Together with practical training and structural developments, this ERS Monograph will enable physicians and other healthcare providers to treat their patients safely in critical situations. I would like to thank the Guest Editors, Leo Heunks, Alexandre Demoule and Wolfram Windisch, who have worked very successfully to select these topics and integrate them into a comprehensive book. I would also like to thank all the authors for their work. I am sure that this excellent ERS Monograph will Copyright ©ERS 2016. Print ISBN: 978-1-84984-073-6. Online ISBN: 978-1-84984-074-3. Print ISSN: 2312-508X. Online ISSN: 2312-5098. ERS Monogr 2016 74: v–vi. DOI: 10.1183/2312508X.10018416 v