On Tuesday morning two people were saved after suffering cardiac arrests thanks to the quick intervention of emergency medical personnel.
The first incident took place on Hatanya Street in Beitar Illit just before 9:00 a.m. when a man in his 70s suddenly collapsed and was longer responding to queries from his wife. The distraught woman called emergency services for help. United Hatzalah volunteer EMT Leiby Klein was on his way to work when the proximity alert on his emergency communication device went off, alerting him to the emergency taking place nearby.
Leiby was already on his own private motorcycle and quickly changed directions and headed for the given address. He arrived at the scene in less than three minutes and raced inside to join two other volunteers who had arrived mere seconds before him. Together the trio started to administer chest compressions to the patient, attach a defibrillator, and began assisted ventilation.
Over the course of the next fifteen minutes, they administered several rounds of CPR including two shocks from the defibrillator. When the ambulance team arrived they joined in the effort to save the man’s life. The combined team was successful in bringing back the man’s pulse and breathing and stabilized the patient so that he could be transported to the hospital for further care.
The second incident occurred on Barzilai Street, in Haifa, just after 9:00 a.m. when a woman in her early 50s choked, and due to the lack of air, lost consciousness and suffered a cardiac arrest. United Hatzalah volunteer Yosef Moore was at his workplace when the alert went off. Upon seeing the address pop up on his phone, he realized that it would be faster for him to run to the emergency than to get his car which was parked in the garage. He raced over by foot and arrived in 90 seconds. Even though he had no medical supplies with him, he was the first responder at the scene and initiated CPR.
Yosef initiated chest compressions and maintained the rhythm until two other volunteers from United Hatzalah arrived less than two minutes later. The combined team rotated and continued performing compressions and administered assisted ventilation. A defibrillator was attached but no shocks were advised. When the mobile intensive care ambulance arrived, the paramedic intubated the patient and continued manual breathing. started to provide the patient with soul aid and assisted ventilation until they managed to return the woman’s pulse. Approximately 15 minutes went by and the woman began to breathe on her own once more. The now stable patient was taken to the hospital in Haifa for further treatment and care.
“It was an amazing feeling to arrive so quickly and be able to help save this woman’s life,” Yosef said after the incident was over. “Had I not arrived as quickly as I did, the story would have ended differently. I’m glad I was able to help. It is incidents such as these that give me the impetus to continue volunteering.”
Leiby added, “I can’t say enough how impactful this incident was on me. I find so much gratification when I am able to help others. To save a life that is truly something special. I am very thankful that I trained to become an EMT and thankful to the organization for giving me the tools and equipment that I used today to save this man’s life.”
To support the lifesaving work of United Hatzalah volunteers such as Leiby and Yosef, please click here.
