An unusual incident unfolded during a CPR course at an Israel Prison Service (IPS) facility on Monday when a 67-year-old man collapsed in the next room.
Magen David Adom paramedic Liav Yaakobi, who was giving the course as part of an EMT course, was called to the scene by facility employees. The paramedic found the man unconscious, without a pulse, and not breathing. He immediately began performing CPR.
At the same time, one of the participants in the course called the 101 emergency hotline. An IPS medical team joined the resuscitation efforts, bringing along a defibrillator, as an MDA team made its way to the scene.
After prolonged CPR, which included four electric shocks, the patient's heart began to beat again, and he returned to full consciousness. An ambulance later evacuated him to a hospital for further treatment and supervision.
Yaakobi recounted: "When I went today to teach a class on how to conduct CPR, I didn't imagine that within seconds the course would become the real thing. The trainees understood in real-time why CPR and the use of a defibrillator are truly critical and life-saving."
"I am happy to have had the opportunity to be in the right place at the right time, and I am thankful for the privilege to save lives."