Jennifer and Liran on Liran's ambucycle
Jennifer and Liran on Liran's ambucycleUnited Hatzalah

On Sunday night a man was found unconscious in his car on Ben-Zvi Street in Tel Aviv.

Police responded to the incident and called for emergency medical services to come and assist and try to resuscitate the man.

United Hatzalah volunteer Jennifer Attias, who lives in Moshav Granot, was filming a promotional video in Tel Aviv for the organization’s upcoming gala in New York when she received the emergency alert. She apologized to the film crew and together with EMT Liran Mazkeret, raced to the given address on Liran’s ambucycle.

“It was difficult to find the location as the address we received was on the main street but the car with the unconscious man was located in an alley nearby. It took us a few minutes to find the exact location, and thanks to the police being on the scene we were able to find it.”

Liran broke the vehicle’s window with a ResQme car escape tool and the pair of EMTs did a quick assessment of the man’s vital signs. Unfortunately, he didn’t have any, and more so, the man’s body was cold and stiff. When the paramedic arrived a few minutes later he pronounced the man dead stating there was no need to perform CPR as there was no way to save him.

“We updated the police with an official statement so that they could begin their investigation into the circumstances of the man’s death,” added Jennifer. “As we were about to leave a wave of sadness hit me really hard. This was a very similar situation to how my brother was found after he died. He was also found alone and deceased with stiffness setting in. It was a few years ago also in May and I lost him to suicide.”

“I’m not sure what caused the death of this gentleman, but seeing him sitting there alone in his car, brought back waves of pain for me from my brother’s death. Even before my brother took his own life I have dedicated my time to helping others. As an EMT I want to help people, I want to bring them comfort and save them when they are suffering from a medical emergency. Being unable to help this man, just like I was unable to help my brother, really pained me.”

After the incident, Liran and Jennifer went back to filming the video with the camera crew but were interrupted numerous times for other medical emergencies. “We responded to five medical emergencies in less than two hours,” Jennifer said.

“In the other instances, we were able to help. There was an unconscious person who thankfully was revived, a man who suffered an injury after he slipped on an oil patch while riding an electric scooter, a person suffering chest pain, a case of violence between two people who both sustained light injuries, and a woman who was confused and was possibly suffering from a stroke. It was a very busy night.”

In each of the instances, Jennifer and Liran provided expert medical treatment, calmed the patients, and helped them receive the care they needed until the ambulance arrived.

“This is what we do,” exclaimed Jennifer. “This is what I want to do. I was very sad that we couldn’t save the man in the car, but I was equally thankful that I was able to help others and provide emergency medical treatment to allay their suffering and worries. I will keep doing this work as long as I can in memory of my brother and in an attempt to make sure that no other families need to suffer what I went through with my family when my brother died.”