Hatzalah ambucycle stolen – possibly posing terror threat
Not only was the ambucycle stolen, but so were its on-board defibrillator and other advanced medical equipment.
By JUDY SIEGEL-ITZKOVICHstolen ambucycle 311(photo credit: United Hatzalah)
United Hatzalah fears that one of its “ambucycles,” or motorcycle ambulances – with the license plate number 59-119-62 and make UH#179 – could be used for terrorist activities after it was stolen Monday afternoon in Jerusalem’s Rehavia neighborhood.The vehicle has clocked over 2,200 rescue responses during its nearly four years on the road. Its built-in tracking device, as well as bitter experience, indicate that the ambucycle was probably taken to the Palestinian Authority-controlled West Bank. The Israel Police have been informed, but while they and UH are concerned that the ambucycle may be used in a terror attack, they cannot take action, because the vehicle is out of their jurisdiction.UH medics and the general public are being asked to keep a sharp eye out for this ambucycle or even a modified version bearing the same license plate number. In the event that the ambucycle is sighted, the police should be alerted immediately, and no attempt should be made to approach or restrain it.Benny Ganunian, a lawyer and UH ambucycle medic volunteer, had just returned from saving the life of a 65-year-old woman who had suffered a heart attack. From inside his house, he heard the alarm on the ambucycle go off and ran down to find nothing amiss with the vehicle. He went back upstairs, thinking that perhaps some children had jostled it.But within the hour, he received another alert of a man with chest pains and ran down to his vehicle. To his chagrin, it was no longer there. Not only was the ambucycle stolen, but so were its on-board defibrillator and other advanced medical equipment.
