Over the past few months, Magen David Adom reports it responded to 201 calls for people rescued from water. Only this week (August 12-16), MDA teams were called upon to treat 7 cases of persons being rescued from the sea, from pools and water reservoirs; calls including a fatal drowning of a 59-year-old man on the Netanyahu beach as well as a young man, about 18, who was transported in critical condition to Laniado Hospital while CPR was performed.

Since the beginning of the 2018 swimming season, which was March 3, 2018, the number of people who drowned on beaches, in ponds and in reservoirs reached 49, of which 13 are children under the age of 10. MDA personnel throughout the country have provided life-saving medical treatment to 152 people; including 7 in critical condition after needing CPR, 5 in serious condition, 17 in moderate condition, and 123 in mild condition.

19 of the calls were in private pools, and 30 in public pools. 109 persons 109 people were pulled out of the Mediterranean, 5 drowned in the Kinneret, and 8 in the Dead Sea. Six persons drowned in an Eilat beach and three in the Jordan River, two in the Yarkon River and one in Sachna, and one in Yardenit.

MDA Director-General Eli Bin said: “MDA personnel are in the midst of special preparations during the summer in light of the many dangers this season, including the danger of drowning when the masses of Beis Yisrael are vacationing at sea, swimming pools and water reservoirs. We are in the middle of August and I appeal to the general public to follow the instructions of the life guards on beaches and ponds, to observe the rules of caution in the private pools and to avoid unnecessary risks in order to end the vacation pleasurably and without additional tragedies. In any emergency where medical assistance is needed, call the MDA emergency call center on 101.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)