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Israeli Soldiers Save Palestinian Lives after Car Crash

By   /   March 2, 2014  /   No Comments

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Following a severe car accident in the Jordan Valley, IDF forces rescued four injured Palestinians and evacuated them to the hospital.

A car accident in the Jordan Valley injured four Palestinians Saturday, including a two-year-old infant who suffered moderate injuries.  Rescuers from the IDF’s 669 Search and Rescue Unitevacuated the infant and two severely injured passengers to the Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital by helicopter. The fourth victim, who was lightly injured, was evacuated to a hospital in Nablus.

“The severely injured passengers were Palestinian residents of the area whose car flipped over due to speeding,” said Jordan Valley Brigade Medical Officer, Lt. Moran Gershoni. “Our rescue effort was very difficult, because the vehicle fell into a wadi, and we needed to rescue the passengers on foot using stretchers,” she continued. “We arrived at the scene within 10 minutes and then carried out our life-saving procedures on site.”

IDF soldiers save Palestinian lives

Rescuers from the IDF’s 669 Search and Rescue Unit work to rescue Palestinian civilians from the damaged vehicle

Last weekend, IDF medical teams in the Jordan Valley responded to more than 10 emergencies, a record number for soldiers stationed in the region. Car accidents happen often in the Jordan Valley, where IDF medical forces typically handle at least one emergency per day.

Constantly saving lives

The car accident was just one part of a long and busy day for the IDF medical forces. The soldiers started their morning at 3:00 AM, when they rushed to assist an Austrian tourist who suffered a heart attack. After a number of complex resuscitation attempts, the soldiers unfortunately had to confirm the patient’s death.

That night, the military Intensive Care Unit saved a resident from Galgal who had suffered a pulmonary edema, and treated three minor casualties that had resulted from a stabbing incident.  “We also received a report of two motorcyclists who had crashed into a flock of sheep and were injured,” Lieutenant Gershoni said. “After that, while touring the area, we received a report of a child with a head injury who had come to our base’s entrance with his father.”

IDF soldiers save Palestinian lives

Closeup of the rescue

Throughout the weekend, IDF medical forces treated several children. “Our level of experience is very high when it comes to treating children, because there is a large number of accidents in the area,” explained Lieutenant Gershoni. “Treating children is completely different from treating adults…You learn how to treat children throughout your military courses, but there is no substitute for experience.”

According to Lieutenant Gershoni, the IDF medical forces responded in an exemplary manner. “This military force that would have been able to carry out the same evacuation in any car accident,” she stressed. “They were on their feet early in the morning, and continued to provide professional care throughout the whole day. We treat everyone, regardless of any differences, whether they are Israeli or Palestinian civilians.”

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