In a heated discussion currently taking place in the Health Committee, headed by MK Idit Silman, on the intention to unite emergency call centers, a long-standing struggle between MDA and other emergency response organizations, Vicky Tiferet, a volunteer at United Hatzalah, spoke emotionally of her activities in Kfar Yuval.
"I go out to every call there is and want to save a life," said the volunteer in tears. ""I call the center, they take the ID number and phone number twice and then hang up. I coe here begging for one call center. I do not want to beg for a house number. I want to save lives. It could be for any one of us that there is no response. Let me save lives. "
Zohar Eli, former director of MDA's drive center and director of United Hatzalah, was also present at the discussion today.
"Over 3,000 Hatzalah drivers (out of 6,200) are not connected to the national drive app as required by the Ministry of Health - because MDA is not willing to connect them.
We beg MDA to give us information. Drives are knocking on doors at the address to look for the case because MDA does not want to give them the exact location. This is a disgrace. I know the data closely - you can not lie to me."
Uri Shacham, MDA's chief of staff, responded:
"In all the incidents cited in today’s hearing, a United Hatzalah first responder was dispatched, so the argument that they weren’t dispatched is patently false.
Every EMT approved by the Ministry of Health has access to MDA’s first-responder app. MDA allows access to any EMT approved by the Ministry. The fact that United Hatzalah says they have EMTs who don’t have access to the app is a reflection of the fact that they’re not approved by the Ministry of Health.
Nevertheless, the fact that a United Hatzalah volunteer was recently arrested for posing as a paramedic when he wasn’t certified as such, points to the importance of only dispatching certified EMTs."