Sholem Hack a United Hatzalah volunteer EMT, injured his knee a few weeks ago and received a recommendation from his physiotherapist that the salt-water in the Dead Sea would be helpful to prevent further swelling.

He traveled to the Dead Sea on Sunday and even though he is injured, the dedicated EMT took his medical kit and bluebird communication device with him in on the off chance that he may able to help someone on the way if there was an accident.

At 11:00 PM his phone rang and it was the dispatch center asking if he was near Ein Bokek. The dispatcher told him that there was a young boy who was unconscious in the Crown Plaza Hotel Lobby. Sholem told them that he would go and treat the boy, but it would take him a few minutes as he was hobbling on a crutch. The dispatcher told him that he was the only first responder in the area.

When Sholem arrived at the hotel lobby he found a young boy who had suffered a seizure and was unconscious albeit breathing and had a pulse. Sholem, not wasting any time, put on a non-rebreather mask with high-flow oxygen and opened an IV line to administer fluids. A few minutes later a doctor who had been staying at the hotel and heard the commotion came downstairs and saw Sholem providing the child with medical care and he joined in the treatment, instructing Sholem to administer another 500cc of saline after the first bottle finished.

Ten minutes later, the boy slowly began to regain consciousness. The ambulance took another 20 minutes to arrive, leaving Sholem and the doctor to treat the boy alone for nearly half-an-hour.

“It is tough to know what would have happened had I not been there. I think that had the boy not received fluids, then he would have had another seizure because it very much appeared like the boy was suffering from dehydration. I can say that I am really happy that I took my physiotherapist’s advice to come down here, and I am also thankful that I was able to help this boy with my knee the way it is. The situation appeared fairly urgent and the boy’s mother thanked me profusely for helping her son in his time of need.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem/Photo credit: Sholem Hack)