Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) David Yashr, a United Hatzalah volunteer, saved the life of a 75-year-old man in Holon on Monday morning after responding to a medical emergency that had taken place a short distance from his home.
The injured man, who suffers from a disability, fell from his wheelchair and sustained a serious head injury. He was semi-conscious and confused as his wife called United Hatzalah’s dispatch and command center, but he quickly deteriorated and lost consciousness.
The volunteer EMT, also a Holon resident, was called as he was the closest responder and he rushed to assist the man who lay pulseless on the floor and bleeding from his head.
Yashr attached his defibrillator and administered a shock in attempt to revive the man's heartbeat. Moments later, volunteers Avraham Samora and Yitzchak Rabi arrived at the scene and joined Yashr in the CPR efforts.
Following a few minutes of monitoring the man's condition, a mobile intensive care ambulance arrived at and transported the man to Sheba Medical Center for further treatment.
"When I handed the patient off to the ambulance team, I told the paramedic that I suspected an underlying medical issue that caused the man to fall," said David. "The initial emergency was that the man fell and hurt his head, causing him to lose consciousness. I think that the man lost consciousness through an underlying medical problem, and that is why he fell," he added.
"As an experienced EMT handing off a patient for transport, I have learned that it is very important to voice your thoughts and suspicions regarding the cause of a patient’s condition as the insight may be valuable for later treatment," Yashr explained.
Yashr, who joined United Hatzlah when it was founded in 2006, is one of the more active volunteers in the organization and has responded to hundreds of medical emergencies.