Earlier last week, on Sunday December 22 Kislev, a special evening honoring Magen David Adom took place in the attendance of the President of Israel Reuven Rivlin, MK Yaacov Litzman, the Chairman of the Executive Committee of MDA, Rabbi Avraham Manela and MDA Director-General Eli Bin. During the gala dinner, certificates of honor were granted to MDA volunteers and employees who excelled in their medical treatment, of which were two MDA Life Guardians, Pashko Tomer and Tzach Noam, MDA paramedic Dudu Fahima and Senior MDA EMT, Moran Raviv, as well as Helicopter Paramedics, Mushon Vaknin and Dana Nagler who treated bicycle rider, Israel Garmolin, who collapsed and suffered from cardiac arrest during “Sovev Kineret” race a month ago.

Last month, during the “Sovev Kineret”, bicyclists, Tomer Pashko and Noam Tzach, were among the riders. The two, who volunteer as MDA Life Guardians, noticed one of the riders, Israel Garmolin (59), collapsed and fell to the side of the road after suffering cardiac arrest. Both of them, who completed the MDA Life Guardians’ course while volunteering for the community police in Kiryat Ono, immediately realized it was a medical emergency and approached Israel.

Israel was unconscious, had no heartbeat, and they began performing CPR while calling MDA at the 101 emergency line. Tomer and Noam continued with their lifesaving efforts with the assistance of two doctors that were nearby, until the arrival of MDA teams to the scene. With their arrival, MDA personnel continued the treatment which included electric shocks, chest compressions and medications. Their efforts regained Israel’s heartbeat, and they evacuated him in an MDA helicopter directly to the catheterization room in the hospital. Shortly after the incident, Israel felt better and recovered in his home, to the surprise of all of those who were involved in his treatment.

Noam Tzach and Tomer Pashko, MDA Life Guardians who treated Israel: “Knowing that Israel woke up, is unharmed, and returned to his family, is very moving. We cannot put into words the joy we felt as a result of saving a life.”

MDA paramedic Dudu Fahima who treated Israel in the MDA Intensive Care Unit: “As part of MDA’s preparedness during the race which included ambulances, mobile intensive care units and Medi-Cycles along the race path. Immediately upon receiving the report in the MDA dispatch center about a resuscitation of a 59-year-old bicycle rider who collapsed, teams were dispatched to the scene. We conducted advanced and continuous resuscitation on the patient that included medications, respiration, chest compressions and electric shocks. Gladly, the patient regained heartbeat and he was evacuated in severe condition to Poriah Hospital in an MDA helicopter. He recovered from this difficult incident.”

Sarit Garmolin, Israel’s wife, wrote to thank MDA teams: “The treatment provided to my husband was dedicated and at the highest level. I would like to thank rescue forces who immediately provided him the treatment he required so urgently.”

MDA Director-General, Eli Bin; “They say excellence isn’t a deed but a habit, at Magen David Adom we work day in and day out in order to instill that and excel at everything we do. The Life Guardians and teams who saved the life of the bicyclist, Israel Garmolin, are an example of that. This incident is also proof that an organization such as MDA, that is founded on a wide system of Life Guardians, volunteers, and a wide array of designated rescue vehicles, enables us time and time again, to rapidly reach emergencies throughout Israel and provide professional, lifesaving treatment. I am happy this incident ended well, and that our teams helped save lives. We know how much time is critical when a patient is in need of resuscitation and this incident emphasizes the importance of the Life Guardians initiative.”

The basic idea behind the Life Guardians initiative is that every civilian with a basic First Aid training of 20 hours, is able to perform basic resuscitation on patients suffering of cardiac arrest – and in that, increase survival rates. The goal of the project is to expand MDA’s first response system as much as possible, with an emphasis on the periphery and remote areas, and in that, reach anyone requiring urgent medical assistance.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem/Photo Credit: MDA Spokesman unit)