The next time you visit Israel, keep an eye out for United Hatzalah’s newest emergency response vehicle to hit the streets of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Israel’s largest volunteer medic organization is launching a new pilot initiative using electric scooters, to be known as “Ambuscooters”, as a new mode of transportation for its volunteer medics. This is the first time electric scooters will be used to respond to medical emergencies in Israel. This pilot program, launching this month in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, will be very useful for volunteers who live, work and respond to medical emergencies in densely populated neighborhoods.

The Ambuscooters are aimed to dramatically improve response times in Israel’s most congested urban centers, getting the organization closer to its targeted response time of 90 seconds across all of Israel.

The new fleet of ten state-of-the-art electric scooters, specially adapted for rapid medical response will use lightweight, eco-friendly vehicles designed to navigate through heavy traffic, narrow streets and poor public transportation while still providing United Hatzalah volunteers with the ability to carry their life-saving emergency kits necessary for treating people that call for their help.  

The addition of the Ambuscooter will further streamline United Hatzalah’s existing fleet of emergency response vehicles including ambulances, Ambucars and Ambucycles.

“This is how United Hatzalah stays on top of the need to provide quick and free emergency care to Israelis as well as dealing with gridlock realities of our modern city life,” said Eli Beer, President and Founder of United Hatzalah. “In places like Tel Aviv, where public transportation is lacking and searching for a parking spot can take away from the precious first moments of a medical emergency, these Ambuscooters will ensure our volunteers can respond and arrive rapidly, without losing valuable time in traffic or circling for a parking space.”

Each scooter will be fitted with an emergency medical kit and include first response gear and a defibrillator, enabling first responders to begin providing immediate medical treatment upon arrival. This initiative, as well as all of United Hatzalah’s life-saving activities, is made possible thanks to the generous donation of committed donors and supporters from around the world.  

Pending the success of the pilot, United Hatzalah plans to expand the program to additional cities across Israel.

“Our volunteers are lawyers, teachers, hi-tech professionals who also have a passion and dedication to save lives,” added Beer. “This new initiative allows them to do so in the most practical and efficient way possible.”