[RBS] Hatzala, Hatzala Beit Shemesh, Hatzala RBS, Ichud Hatzala - aarrrggghhh ...

[Ephrayim Naiman]

Thank you Nachum for the summary of the various Hatzala organizations below.
I've included it below for completeness.

Based on the information I received from various people - I would
agree with almost everything written below.

They're both excellent organizations but do different things.
Ichud Hatzala deals mainly with equipment and Hatzala BS deals with
emergency care and transportation.
Many, if not most responders are associated with/through both
organizations and some triply listed with Magen David Adom as well.

Overall, if you had to allocate monies, probably Hatzala Bet Shemesh
is more directly helping you locally.  Certainly they have a weaker
financial position than Ichud Hatzala and therefore could use more of
our local help.

That being said, from everything I've heard, Ichud Hatzala is also an
excellent organization and provides valuable equipment that also
directly helps us well.

I was told that Hatzala BS *does* receive equipment from Ichud and
therefore *is* helped when we donate to Ichud - though at a lesser
level since Ichud is national.  (If someone from could clarify this
last point - that would be helpful.)

-Ephrayim Naiman
ejnaiman at gmail.com

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Nachum Duchin <assets at actcom.co.il>
Date: Thu, Dec 27, 2012 at 7:04 PM
Subject: Hatzala Beit Shemesh
To: rbs at cs.huji.ac.il

There is a lot of confusion of who does what, and I am only writing
this letter as a recipient of the kindness of Hatzala Beit Shemesh.  I
do not represent the organization and I do not serve on its board.
Like many other people I try to help them financially, as they depend
on the community. Hatzala Beit Shemesh serves the local Ramat Beit
Shemesh/ Beit Shemesh Community only and is licensed from the Misrad
Habriut to transport medical emergencies. Hatzala Beit Shemesh
provides first responders and transport individuals to the hospital.
The patient has continuance of care from the home or incident right to
the admissions so that they have the ability to make sure the patients
get the maximum care and attention.  Many chronic patients are known
to Hatzala Beit Shemesh from multiple calls and therefore they are
ideally qualified to transfer to attending physicians at the hospital
with all the relevant details. They even know if the patient is better
or worse than normal and history from multiple interactions with the
patient.

The organization does not charge anything for their service which
operates 24/7. The work is performed by volunteers who are on call 365
days. I know this first hand, as my daughter was transported a few
minutes before Shabbat to give birth a few months ago. I do not have
enough good words to say about the volunteers or the organization.

And all those Ambullettes you see around (Lev Malka/ Ezer Mitzion/
Ezra Limarpe ect) all are for NON-EMERGENCY transports of elderly or
sick....and it is my understanding they often charge for their
service.

The Ichud Hatzalah organization is NOT the same organization as
Hatzala Beit Shemesh.  I have been told that the Ichud offers first
responder services nationally as we'll as in Bet Shemesh. They also
have a national emergency line which is NOT connected with Hatzala Bet
Shemesh. As far as I know they don't have ambulances that transport to
hospital, certainly not in Bet Shemesh. They may have ambulances which
are used in supporting medical services at the kotel and other large
gatherings. I have heard directly from a Vaad member of Hatzala Beit
Shemesh that the Ichud does NOT support or finance Hatzala Beit
Shemesh, although the two organizations cooperate together in the
field when treating patients. This is also the situation with MDA.
There is some confusion I believe because some Hatzala Beit Shemesh
first responders are also members of the Ichud first responders team
and they respond to calls received via their Ichud Radio's, for
example when they leave Beit Shemesh, and even in Bet Shemesh.

If you give money to the Ichud Hatzala it will not go to Hatzala Beit
Shemesh.  I hope this helps explain what Hatzala Beit Shemesh does and
why it is worthy of our support.

-Nachum Duchin