United Hatzalah of Israel, Israel's national volunteer EMS organization, is currently preparing to send a relief mission to Turkey following the earthquake that struck the province of Kahramanmaras last night.
"As soon as we heard about the scale of the destruction and tragedy, we immediately began to assess the situation and prepare an advanced jump team to provide relief in the wake of the devastating earthquake that has claimed the lives of hundreds of people,” said CEO of United Hatzalah Eli Pollack.
“During the early hours of the morning, I notified the Foreign Minister, the Defense Minister, the Health Minister, and the head of the National Security Council (NSC) that we are standing at the ready to send a relief mission consisting of doctors, paramedics, EMTs, members of the Psychotrauma and Crisis Response Unit, and members of the Search and Rescue Units, with medical supplies and humanitarian aid in order to provide assistance to the thousands of people in need in Turkey."
Shortly afterwards, MDA, Israel’s largest emergency medical response organization, released a statement announcing it too has offered to assist Turkey in search and rescue efforts, and is preparing a team should Ankara accept the offer.
“Immediately following the earthquake in Turkey, Magen David Adom, the Israel Red Cross, approached the Turkish Red Crescent and the International Federation of the Red Crescent in Europe and offered humanitarian and medical aid,” and MDA spokesperson said.
“Magen David Adom has experience in the provision of aid to disaster zones, and the professional authorities are closely following the developments of the earthquake in Turkey, and are prepared to offer any aid that is required.”