On Sunday morning around 10 am, a young boy approximately eight years old was crossing the street when he was struck by a car and severely injured. The accident took place at the Hapikud intersection, near Nazareth during rush hour. Many people rushed to assist the injured boy and the scene attracted a lot of attention.

United Hatzalah volunteer EMT Yechiel Biton was on his way to work in a local health clinic located a few hundred meters away from the intersection when he saw the child get hit by the car. Yechiel stopped on the side of the road, got out of his vehicle, and rushed over to the young boy. By the time Yechiel got there, less than a minute later, the vehicle in question had left the scene already.

Yechiel was the first medical volunteer to arrive at the scene but he had no equipment on him so he had to improvise. Yechiel saw that the boy had several hematomas and abrasions on his chest, and was breathing slowly, Yechiel suspected that the boy had suffered a severe chest injury and requested that a Mobile Intensive Care ambulance be sent.

Due to a large number of people who had begun to congregate at the scene and the boy’s parents being in hysterics the scene turned chaotic very quickly. The boy was crying from the pain of his injuries making the situation even more difficult. However, Yechiel maintained an aura of professionalism transmitting to all present that he had everything under control. This succeeded in calming down some of those present allowing him to work and treat the child.

Yechiel talked calmly to the boy and explained what was going to happen during each step of the treatment. He helped the boy with breathing exercises which allowed him to breathe easier. The boy stabilized and after 10 minutes an ambulance arrived, assisted Yechiel in treating the boy at the scene, and then transported the injured youngster to the nearest hospital for further treatment.

After the incident was over and the crowds had dispersed, Yechiel spoke about the accident. “There is a great sense of fulfillment whenever I treat someone, but in cases where I treat a child, it is, even more, the case. Having the ability to help others is a gift and this is especially true with children who become more frightened than adults by medical emergencies. I’m glad I was in the right place at the right time to help calm this boy down and treat him for his injuries. Emergencies happen all the time, even when I am on my way. In these instances, I know that I will be late, but I took it upon myself to be a first responder and it has become a part of my daily life. I feel complete with my decision and I’m happy to be a part of an organization of people who invest everything into saving the lives of others. With regards to the accident that happened today, I feel very lucky that I was right there so that I could help the boy immediately after the accident. ”

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