Stories from the Streets: Brothers and Sisters in Arms

Ariel Attias is a volunteer with United Hatzalah who lives in Ganei Modi’in. He serves as head of the Western Binyamin Chapter and is responsible for more than 60 EMS responders who serve under him. Last month Attias responded to an emergency that involved a motor vehicle accident in which a motorcyclist was injured. When Attias arrived he was surprised to discover the injured driver was a dear friend of his. The motorcyclist, though also surprised, was relieved his friend was there to help him in his time of need.

A few days later Attias was driving his ambucycle to visit his injured friend, who was recovering in Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital. As he passed near the neighborhood of Kiryat Yovel, a fire truck zoomed around a corner on its way to an emergency nearby.
 
Suddenly, midturn, one of the volunteer firefighters, who was not properly secured to the vehicle, tumbled out of the moving truck and fell to the road. Attias, who witnessed the event, quickly pulled to the side in front of the firefighter and turned on his ambucycle’s flashing lights to protect the victim as he radioed to dispatch and alerted them to the emergency.

The female firefighter sustained serious head wounds and was bleeding from multiple lacerations sustained in the fall. Attias immediately opened the medical kit that is always on the back of his ambucycle and began treatment. He deftly bandaged her wounds and protected her head, reassuring the victim as he worked. The firefighters from the truck came to help and support their comrade as other trucks responded as well. Some moments later an ambulance arrived to transport the patient to the hospital.

As an emergency medical service first responder, I take comfort in knowing those in service to the community are there to protect me, and I am there to protect them. It is always difficult to see one of our own get injured, especially if it is in the line of duty and when they are a fellow volunteer. We know we are there to help others, and part of that is making sure members of all our teams, no matter which company they are from, are taken care of as well. I’m thankful I was able to be close to the scene and provide the first response and medical care when it was needed. My response was as close to immediate as one can get, and I am thankful I was able to stabilize and care for the firefighter in need. 

I believe I can speak on behalf of our entire organization when I say being there for our fellow responders is part of our highest creed. We work together, hand-in-hand with other responders from the police, fire department, and various ambulance services around Israel each and every day. It goes without saying that a camaraderie is built up and we care for one another like brothers and sisters in arms. You have to, when you spend every day saving lives together.

Raphael Poch is the international media spokesperson for United Hatzalah, Israel’s national volunteer EMS organization.