Menachem Goldberg volunteers as an EMT with United Hatzalah and serves as the chapter head for the Nahariya chapter. Two weeks ago, Goldberg responded to an emergency where the rescue he undertook involved a different type of lifesaving. 

 

The incident occurred near the city’s beaches in the early afternoon, when one alert beach-goer noticed two figures flailing about in the water. Realizing that the dark shapes were two women in distress, the alarmed man urgently called for emergency help. Menachem received the alert from United Hatzalah’s Dispatch and Command Center and immediately dashed out to the ATV that the organization stationed in the city specifically for beach and off-road rescues. Goldberg hit the gas and raced along the city streets and then directly onto the beach sands heading right up to the water.

 

As other United Hatzalah volunteers began to arrive they joined Goldberg and worked feverishly to rescue the two victims. The assembled team quickly attached lifebelts to the electric winch on the ATV and sent the cable over to the struggling figures. The two women managed to grab onto the lifebelt and Goldberg slowly guided the cable back to dry land. Within a few minutes, the volunteers succeeded in rescuing both victims from the sea.

 

The two young women had been floundering in the water for over 40 minutes. They were absolutely exhausted and dangerously hypothermic. Goldberg quickly wrapped them up in mylar reflective blankets to conserve body heat. He then performed a quick but thorough assessment while getting them onto the ATV. The powerful vehicle sped back along the sand to the road, where an ambulance was waiting to facilitate transport to the hospital.

 

These people were saved from certain death thanks to the rapid response, made possible by United Hatzalah’s network of volunteers and the ATV they had at their disposal.

 

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