On Saturday afternoon, Magen David Adom (MDA) teams were dispatched to a residential building on Nadav Street in Tel Aviv with report of a man and woman in their 30s who were trapped in a flooded elevator.
Following complex rescue efforts by the Israel Fire Service's Dive Team, they man was rescued in critical condition and evacuated while CPR was being provided by the MDA team. Unfortunately, he was later pronounced deceased. Later, the woman was also rescued in critical condition and evacuated while CPR was being provided by MDA Paramedics, she was also pronounced deceased.
MDA Medi-Cycle First Responder EMT Yosef Nahon recalled: "Upon arriving at the scene I joined the fire department teams who were using the Dive Team to scan the flooded basement of the building. A man in his 30s was rescued and brought to us when he was unresponsive, not breathing, had no pulse and was suffering from severe hypothermia. We provided medical treatment and performed CPR and he was evacuated to Sheba Hospital at Tel Hashomer while teams continued CPR. Unfortunately, he was later pronounced deceased."
MDA Paramedic Naama Karminan who cared for the female victim added: "The victims had gone down to floor -1 which was flooded and they got stuck in the elevator. Once the man had been rescued and evacuated, rescue teams continued the complex efforts until the female victim was rescued as well. She had been under the water for quite a while, and was ultimately rescued in critical condition and suffering from severe hypothermia. We began treating her in the stairwell, then transferred her to the MICU where we continued resuscitation efforts while in route to the hospital. Upon arriving at the hospital, the teams continued efforts, but were unfortunately unsuccessful."
Earlier on Saturday, MDA teams treated a woman who was found lying in a puddle and suffering from hypothermia on Chochmei Yisrael Street in Tel Aviv. The woman was treated in the field by MDA teams and evacuated to the hospital in stable condition.
MDA Senior EMT Eitan Rotpos recalled: "Upon arriving to the street, we saw a woman who was being supported by a man who happened to be passing by. She was fully alert and responsive and suffering from hypothermia. The man told us that he found her lying in a puddle behind the plants. We got her into a warmed ambulance, assessed the severity of the hypothermia, and evacuated her to the hospital."
Over the course of the day, MDA teams were called to treat multiple victims whose homes had flooded in Tel Aviv and provided treatment to multiple victims of hypothermia, including an 80-year-old woman and a 23-year-old woman whose house was flooded on Lehi St. in Tel Aviv, a 55-year-old man in light condition from hypothermia on Shabtai St., as well as a lightly injured 28-year-old on Batsheva Katznelson St. All patients were evacuated to the hospital for further treatment.
At Holon Junction, passengers of 2 vehicles were rescued after their vehicle was caught in a flood. MDA EMTs and Paramedics provided treatment and evacuated a 60-year-old female in light condition with hypothermia. In addition, two other victims were treated on the scene and did not require evacuation. On Yisrael Guri St. in Tel Aviv, MDA EMTs and Paramedics treated and evacuated a 55-year-old woman in light condition with hypothermia after her car began to sink.
MDA Director-General Eli Bin said: "Upon receiving the warning of the severe weather that was due to hit this weekend, MDA increased its staffing of EMTs and Paramedics and added 4x4 vehicles to the fleet in effort to provide a rapid response to all incidents, and provide the best possible medical care to those in need. MDA's EMTs and paramedics continue to be on high alert and are prepared to save lives and provide treatment in all weather conditions."