(VIDEO AND PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE)

Magen David Adom is marking 38 years since graduating its first class of paramedics. In fact, MDA report that to date, it has certified 2,909 paramedics.

The first class graduated on June 25, 2980 and on Monday, 25 June 2018, MDA marked the day with its first-ever National Paramedic Day.

MDA explains that since the first class, paramedics have become an integral member of the nation’s prehospital emergency medical response system, delivering advanced medical care to critically-ill patients in the field. Whether pharmaceutical intervention or defibrillation, paramedics operate on ambulances nationwide, as well as motorcycles, MDA choppers and other aspects of pre-hospital medical care.

In 1979, Israel’s Ministry of Health gave MDA the authority to train and certify paramedics. Since the first class of 18 paramedics, 2,909 have been trained and certified.

MDA boasts being Israel’s largest volunteer organization with 2,000 employees and 22,000 volunteers and ‘Ne’emanei Chaim’ responders. 1,275 paramedics are operating in MDA today, serving all the populations including Jewish, Arab, Christian, Druse, new immigrants, veteran Israelis religious and secular.

The paramedics include 697 employees and 578 volunteers, of which 28 are serving in national/civilian service. 975 of the paramedics are men and 300 women.

The oldest still-active paramedic is Gershon Berkowitz, 66, a graduate of the first class. He is a resident of Shoham. The youngest paramedics is Malky Konen, 19, of Efrat.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)