Israel Army forces (IDF) and local paramedics helped save the life of a Palestinian woman and her newly born infant Wednesday, at the settlement where Fogel relatives are sitting Shiva (the mourning period) for the five Israelis brutally murdered last week.
Just as IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz arrived in Neve Tzuf to offer his condolences, a Palestinian cab raced towards the community's entrance. In it, soldiers and paramedics discovered a Palestinian woman in her 20s in advanced stages of labor and facing a life-threatening situation: The umbilical cord was wrapped around the young baby girl's neck, endangering both her and her mother.
The quick action of settler paramedics and IDF troops deployed in the area saved the mother's and baby's life, prompting great excitement and emotions at the site where residents are still mourning the brutal death of five local family members.
An IDF paramedic, was the first medical team member at the scene and recounted the dramatic situation he faced. "When I arrived, I saw a woman covered by a blanket in a yellow Palestinian van. I moved closer and saw the baby's head and upper body," he told a reporter. "The umbilical cord was around the baby's neck; the baby was grey and didn't move." "I first removed the cord from the neck and at the same time asked paramedics to prepare the baby resuscitation kit. I pinched her to see if she's responding, and she started to cry," he said.
Paramedics also treated the mother, who was in good condition at that point. The paramedic said: "We treat everyone"
Meanwhile, the ambulance driver raced to the scene. "We joined the military paramedic and helped him cut off the umbilical cord…without the medical treatment, the fetus and woman faced genuine life danger," said the driver. "It was touching, but I couldn't help but think that a few meters from there, people were sitting Shiva for another baby, who was murdered, I was touched to see the face of the new baby, but I also thought about the face of the murdered baby." The head of the Magen David Adom team at Neve Tzuf, said this was not the first time settlers assist Palestinians in distress. "They know we have a skilled medical team here, and in any case of accident or injury they arrive and we help them," he said.
The paramedic noted that on the day of the Fogel massacre, settlers saw fireworks and celebrations in nearby Palestinian communities, but added that the local medical team is committed to assisting anyone in need. "Two years ago, we also made sure to treat a terrorist who attempted to place a bomb on the road and was shot by soldiers," he said.
Palestinians from the nearby village of Nabi Salah gathered around the paramedics along with the new grandmother and could not hide their joy. "They thanked us and told us they named the girl Jude," said the paramedic. "I volunteered for Magen David Adom since age 15 and it's the first time I witnessed childbirth. It was an amazing feeling, to hold the girl that was just born in my arms, and to know that in this complex place we did something good."
Showing posts with label Magen David. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Magen David. Show all posts
Friday, March 18, 2011
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Water and Ambulances
Finally residents in the North of the country are going to have their own ambulance service. A new Magen David Adom station http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Health/mda1.html has been established in Carmiel http://www.webscope.com/karmiel/ with the generosity of British Friends of Magen David Adom.
The new station will serve not only Carmiel but also Tefen and the Arab villages in the area. The communities in the north have been waiting for 30 years for this day and finally the patience has been rewarded for the 150,000 residents of the area.
Meanwhile further to the East, the Sea of Galilee has reached its lowest level in five years, the Water Auth
ority announced Monday. The water level in the lake was -212.59 meters at the end of 2007, which is 3.79 m. below the top red line. The last time the lake dropped that low was on March 9, 2003.
Israel's main source of drinking water dropped 42 cm. in 2007, the authority said. In addition, since 2004, the Sea of Galilee's water level has been steadily decreasing. This is in part because of below-average rainfall over the last three years, the Water Authority said.
If this winter does not produce more rainfall, it will be the worst four years since the early 60s, the authority warned. Four consecutive years of below-average additions to the Sea of Galilee have only occurred twice in the last 77 years.
In the short term, pure drinking water is planned to be diverted from agricultural use to households, in addition, the water authority has embarked upon a campaign to promote efficient use of water. It's a campaign with a twist, as it's directed at Israel's youngest inhabitants.
"The focus of the campaign is on children. A spokesman said "If I come into your house and see you washing dishes and the water is running all the time, I'll ask you to stop and change how you wash your dishes. And to be polite, you'll do so, but go back to what you know tomorrow, however, if parents feel a tug on their leg while they are washing dishes and their children ask them to change their ways, then they will, because they want to assure their children they've been taught the right message."
In the long term, Israel has put its full support behind desalination plants. Said the spokesman, "In the longer range, the Water Authority is working to stabilize the water market and reduce reliance on natural sources," There are currently two desalination plants operational in Israel and another three expected to be online by 2013.
The plant in Ashkelon is the biggest of its kind in the world and produces 108m. cubic meters of water a year and a smaller one in Palmahim produces 30m. cubic meters. A plant near Hadera is set to open by 2009 with a capacity of 100m. cubic meters. Another two plants, one in Ashdod and another near Nahal Sorek, are expected to be ready by 2013. The total capacity of all the plants would then stand at 505m. cubic meters a year, which would go a long way toward satisfying demand.. Israel consumes about 700m. cubic meters of pure drinking water a year.
The new station will serve not only Carmiel but also Tefen and the Arab villages in the area. The communities in the north have been waiting for 30 years for this day and finally the patience has been rewarded for the 150,000 residents of the area.
Meanwhile further to the East, the Sea of Galilee has reached its lowest level in five years, the Water Auth
ority announced Monday. The water level in the lake was -212.59 meters at the end of 2007, which is 3.79 m. below the top red line. The last time the lake dropped that low was on March 9, 2003.Israel's main source of drinking water dropped 42 cm. in 2007, the authority said. In addition, since 2004, the Sea of Galilee's water level has been steadily decreasing. This is in part because of below-average rainfall over the last three years, the Water Authority said.
If this winter does not produce more rainfall, it will be the worst four years since the early 60s, the authority warned. Four consecutive years of below-average additions to the Sea of Galilee have only occurred twice in the last 77 years.
In the short term, pure drinking water is planned to be diverted from agricultural use to households, in addition, the water authority has embarked upon a campaign to promote efficient use of water. It's a campaign with a twist, as it's directed at Israel's youngest inhabitants.
"The focus of the campaign is on children. A spokesman said "If I come into your house and see you washing dishes and the water is running all the time, I'll ask you to stop and change how you wash your dishes. And to be polite, you'll do so, but go back to what you know tomorrow, however, if parents feel a tug on their leg while they are washing dishes and their children ask them to change their ways, then they will, because they want to assure their children they've been taught the right message."
In the long term, Israel has put its full support behind desalination plants. Said the spokesman, "In the longer range, the Water Authority is working to stabilize the water market and reduce reliance on natural sources," There are currently two desalination plants operational in Israel and another three expected to be online by 2013.
The plant in Ashkelon is the biggest of its kind in the world and produces 108m. cubic meters of water a year and a smaller one in Palmahim produces 30m. cubic meters. A plant near Hadera is set to open by 2009 with a capacity of 100m. cubic meters. Another two plants, one in Ashdod and another near Nahal Sorek, are expected to be ready by 2013. The total capacity of all the plants would then stand at 505m. cubic meters a year, which would go a long way toward satisfying demand.. Israel consumes about 700m. cubic meters of pure drinking water a year.
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