UNITED HATZALAH SPOKESPERSON—JERUSALEM DISTRICT: United Hatzalah medical responders performed CPR and advanced life support and resuscitated a one-year-old pediatric patient experiencing cardiac arrest on Saturday at HaAyalot Street in Givat Ze’ev.

Dr. Shlomo Gensler, volunteer physician with United Hatzalah, and EMTs Ezra Entebbe, Shimon Buxtein, and Avi Levi reported: “We responded to a pediatric cardiac arrest involving a one-year-old patient with an existing tracheostomy. We performed CPR and other resuscitation efforts. Emergency intubation was performed following unsuccessful tracheostomy reinsertion attempts. Return of spontaneous circulation was achieved during transport after medication administration. The patient was transported to Shaare Zedek Medical Center with stable vital signs and is currently admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit in critical condition.”

Dr. Gensler was dispatched from Jerusalem on Shabbat morning to respond to this call, as he was the closest doctor to the scene. He arrived in under 20 minutes and was only able to arrive as fast as he did due to his ALS fly-car. He told me that if he wasn’t there, the patient would not have survived. Only a skilled doctor would have been successful at intubating the patient as it was a significantly difficult procedure and the paramedics on scene were not able to accomplish this. He then joined the ALS ambulance for transport and on the way to the hospital, due to his administration of medication, the patient regained ROSC (return of spontaneous circulation). In Shaarei Tzedek Hospital, (even though he works at Hadassa Medical Center) he joined the medical team in the trauma bay and assisted in further stabilizing the patient. What a phenomenal story and it only happened due to the amazing work of this team which gives these incredible volunteers the ability to save lives!