Those injured in severe Yom HaZikaron wildfires include pregnant women, babies, and the elderly.
More than a dozen people have suffered from smoke inhalation, burns, and other injuries incurred while rushing towards safety due to raging wildfires in central Israel.
Magen David Adom plays a critical role during wildfires in Israel, acting as the nation’s emergency medical service and first responder.
Deploying ambulances, Mobile Intensive Care Units, and Rapid Response Vehicles, MDA is working in tandem with Israel’s Fire and Rescue Service, the IDF, the police, and other national agencies. MDA’s extensive network of volunteers has been activated and is assisting in rescue operations to provide support to affected communities. The MDA Medicycle unit has been reinforced and is ready to provide medical response to those stuck in their vehicles on the road in heavy traffic jams.
MDA EMTs and paramedics provided initial medical treatment and transported at least 13 people to Kaplan and Shamir Medical Centers. The injured people include a 36-year-old male with burns, a 34-year-old female, and two babies suffering from smoke inhalation. Two pregnant women were among those treated for smoke inhalation. In addition, 10 others were treated by MDA paramedics but did not need to be brought to the hospital. MDA medics are also being dispatched to care for and evacuate homebound patients.
MDA is deploying Wheels of Hope, the Mobile Intensive Care Bus, as well as more than 20 ambulances, to a nursing home in Shoresh, in the Jerusalem Hills, to transport its patients to other nursing homes in Jerusalem. The evacuation is being carried out in accordance with guidelines from the Ministry of Health while ensuring the patients’ safety and the continuity of their medical care.
The fires broke out in the morning of Yom HaZikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day. Israel has declared a state of emergency due to the combination of fires raging around the country and dry, windy weather, and has canceled major Independence Day events.
