On Tuesday just before 03:00 P.M., a 95-year-old woman suffered a cardiac arrest in her home on Sinai Street in Beer Sheva. The emergency was reported to the dispatch center and nearby volunteer EMTs were called to the scene.

United Hatzalah volunteer EMTs Rinat Uziel and Yossi Ashuach had just finished treating a patient nearby when they received the alert and began racing to the scene of the second emergency. In less than 2 minutes they arrived at the scene and found the unconscious woman lying on the floor. Yossi and Rinat performed chest compressions on the woman and attached a bag valve mask to her mouth to provide her with assisted ventilation.

After approximately half an hour, the woman’s pulse was suddenly restored. “We performed CPR for what felt like an eternity,” Rinat recounted later on. “It was difficult physically and emotionally but I was so relieved she came back to us.” Moments later, a mobile intensive care ambulance arrived along with other EMTs and the woman was evacuated to the hospital for further care.

Rinat reflected on the incident and said: “As a volunteer EMT, I can never know when my day starts and when it will end. Sometimes I’m so busy going to emergencies one after another just like I did today. I believe to be an EMT takes a lot of responsibility and sacrifices but at the same time, there’s no greater feeling of fulfillment than what I feel at the end of my day. I’m glad Yossi and I made it in time and that the woman was saved.”

Yossi concurred and said: “I try to respond to as many emergencies as possible because I see EMT volunteering as a commitment to saving human lives whenever I can. The feeling we get after going home is very emotional, I feel like my heart is full and my day is well used. Saving lives is a huge mitzvah.’’

To support the lifesaving work of United Hatzalah volunteers such as Rinat and Yossi, please click here.