During his solidarity mission to Israel, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio on Sunday met with Dov Maisel, director of international operations at United Hatzalah, to discuss community-based emergency first response protocols.

Maisel shared with Mayor de Blasio some insights into Israeli emergency response based on the United Hatzalah model, which combines a network of 3,000 trained volunteers with revolutionary GPS technology to ensure quick dispatching after a reported medical emergency. United Hatzalah lauds an average three minute response time, giving victims of terror and accidents a better chance at life. While already influencing medics in Panama, Argentina, Lithuania and India, this successful Israeli model was recently brought to the U.S. by Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop in a pilot called United Rescue. Jersey City is currently training its first 50 volunteers to serve the community in first response.

Following his conversation with Maisel, Mayor de Blasio said, “I like Hatzalah very much. I thank you for what you are doing in the community.” He expressed interest in adopting model in New York City. “I’d like to learn more about what my colleague Mayor Fulop is doing in Jersey City,” he added.

The meeting was in conjunction with Israeli startup investment company Besadno. De Blasio arrived in Israel on Friday to participate in the Annual Conference of Mayors organized by the American Jewish Congress, American Council for World Jewry and World Forum of Russian-Speaking Jewry.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)