On Tuesday morning, just after 11:00 a.m., a man went to the doctor on Leon Birenbo’im Street in Dimona complaining of chest pains. After checking the man’s vital signs the doctor urged the man to go to the hospital for immediate treatment and called an ambulance. The man refused to go to the hospital and left the doctor’s office to head home. After walking a few steps out of the office the man suffered a heart attack and collapsed on the sidewalk. The doctor as well as other medical personnel from the clinic rushed over and initiated CPR.
United Hatzalah volunteer EMT Avraham Kauffman works as a security official for the city of Dimona. He was in his office which is located down the street when the incident occurred. He received the alert from United Hatzalah’s Dispatch and Command Center, got on his ambucycle, and rushed to the scene. Arriving less than 90 seconds later, Avraham joined the medical staff and took over performing compressions. A defibrillator was attached and the man received a shock which was followed by Avraham’s renewed compressions.
Another United Hatzalah volunteer EMT, Hagai Abutbul, who works as the city of Dimona’s Director Of Parks and Gardening, also received the alert and was located nearby when the incident took place. He quickly dropped what he was doing, got into his car and drove to the scene. He arrived at the same time as the mobile intensive care ambulance and joined the CPR effort.
“About a minute after I arrived, the paramedic from the ambulance attempted to intubate the patient but he rejected the laryngoscope which signified a level of consciousness. We checked for a pulse and found one and the team ceased their CPR effort,” Abutbul said. “It was that fast. Avraham and the medical staff did a terrific job and were able to restore the man’s pulse giving him another chance at life.”
After the man’s pulse returned and the team stabilized him, Avraham and Hagai assisted the ambulance crew with preparing and loading the patient for transport to the nearest hospital.
Avraham concluded by saying, “It is always a great feeling to be able to save a life. Rushing out of my office and bringing back a man’s pulse is always something that gives me a good feeling afterward. It made my day knowing that I was able to help someone and give them another chance at life. This is what I am here for as a volunteer, and this is what United Hatzalah is here for as an organization. I’m proud to be a part of it.”