Meet three very heroic people who choose to be there for us in our times of need
We’ve all seen Hatzolah EMTs and ambulances, and there’s a good chance you may have even called Hatzolah once or twice in your life. Let’s see what it’s like to be the one who actually responds to those calls.
I was interested in Hatzolah for a long time. My father gave classes to the first Hatzolah volunteers and that was probably what made me excited about all things medical. When I was in yeshivah, Hatzolah came around recruiting volunteers, so I asked my rosh yeshivah if I should join. He told me I should, but warned me that when it comes to Hatzolah, you volunteer once, and then you’re always on call. You’re obligated to answer a call whenever it comes in, during seder or if you are in the middle of something, you no longer have a choice. If you’re in, you’re in. I decided I wanted to be in.
Most Hatzolah members have a full life besides for Hatzolah. We work, we learn, we help our kids with homework. My day includes davening, working, learning, and helping my family. Somewhere in between, I volunteer for Hatzolah. Calls come in all the time, all day, every day. If I’m available and nearby, I respond to the call. But if I’m in the middle of something, I will only go if the person is someone I know. Other than that, I’ll let someone else take the call. On average, I respond to one call a day.
There are two levels of volunteers: EMTs and paramedics. The first step is to become an EMT. That means you can provide emergency medical services. For most calls, an EMT is enough. To become an EMT, you need to take a course and pass a state test. After that, you get assigned to your first unit.
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