United Hatzalah launches air medical unit
It will be fully operational in Israel by 12 March
Israeli United Hatzalah has inaugurated its medevac unit composed of three helicopters and 30 flight paramedics.
The unit will provide immediate air medical assistance in the north, center and south of Israel.
The helicopters will be operated by pilots who previously served in helicopter units of the Israeli Air Force and staffed by United Hatzalah paramedics, who have all received extensive training with the airborne vehicles and evacuation techniques.
These aircraft have been specially equipped to provide emergency transport of patients in critical condition and have been outfitted with equipment from Bucher Industries. The paramedics themselves will also be outfitted with specialized bodycams to transmit live footage of the scene to the Dispatch and Command Center, allowing for hospitals and doctors to provide instructions during treatment and evacuation.
Two flight paramedics will staff the aircraft at all times and the unit will be operational 24/7, 365 days of the year.
President and Founder of United Hatzalah Eli Beer said: “This is a momentous day in the field of emergency medicine for Israel and for the 6,500 volunteers of the organization which provides medical care during emergencies in Israel and around the globe.”
He added: “We are proud to add this specialized unit to our ranks to provide a faster emergency medical response to the citizens of Israel, by providing quicker evacuations to emergencies caused by terror attacks or other traumatic cases across the country.”