Israel's national emergency medical service organization Magen David Adom (MDA) has formed a partnership with US-based Hatzolah Air to provide medical evacuation (Medevac) helicopter service in Israel.
This partnership will see MDA paramedics stationed on MDA's and Hatzolah Air's Medevac helicopters for situations where medical evacuation by aircraft is necessary.
"This partnership will ensure that seriously injured and critically ill Israelis who find themselves far from medical facilities will get the lifesaving care they need."
Eli Bin
"This partnership will ensure that seriously injured and critically ill Israelis who find themselves far from medical facilities will get the lifesaving care they need," MDA director-general Eli Bin said in a statement.
MDA and Hatzolah's longtime partnership
Hatzolah Air, which is part of the American Hatzolah movement, has a proven track record in this regard, with their fleet of Medevac aircraft servicing dozens of Medevac requests in the US, Israel and around the world.
This also builds on the decades-long relationship and history of partnership between Hatzolah and MDA.
This includes both MDA providing Hatzolah with advanced training and state-of-the-art dispatch technology, as well as Hatzolah helping out Israel in times of crisis.
As explained by Hatzolah Air president Eli Rowe: "When Israel has been under rocket attacks or reeling from terrorist bombings, Hatzolah Divisions from across America sent teams of doctors, paramedics, and EMTs to provide Israel with additional resources in their hour of need."
Hatzolah Air and MDA have worked together on Medevac before. This cooperation recently had some high-profile flights, such as aiding in saving Ukrainian refugees, patients and Holocaust survivors fleeing the Russian invasion.
For the past 15 years, MDA provides its own Medevac flights in Israel based out of Beersheba and Tiberias to provide nationwide coverage. The helicopters and pilots for this come thanks to Lahak Aviation, but Hatzolah Air will take over before the contract with Lahak expires this March, with the overlap meant to ensure Medevac services won't be interrupted.
The pilots in this new deal will be brought in from Israeli firm Brook Aviation.