Following publication of a letter by Magen David Adom announcing it will reduce services to Judea, Samaria and the northern border starting December 30 (Friday), United Hatzolah announced Thursday night that it would step in to pick up the slack.
“United Hatzalah urges citizens to use its emergency hotline, 1221, which directly contacts the United Hatzalah national dispatch center,” the organization said in a statement.
“United Hatzalah has instructed its chapters and volunteers to increase their activities and coverage in [Judea, Samaria and the northern border region].
“We understand from the statement released by MDA that budget cuts by the Amana settlement housing agency are affecting its emergency response service, and as a result, MDA is reducing its services to Judea, Samaria and the northern border region,” said United Hatzolah CEO Moshe Teitelbaum.
“We realize this measure may exacerbate injuries, or cost lives. As a volunteer organization engaged in saving lives, we cannot stand idly by,” he continued.
“We will therefore increase our services to these areas. We have placed our volunteers on heightened alert, and this evening will move extra equipment and volunteers to Judea, Samaria and to the northern border region,” Teitelbaum said.
“In the coming days we will look into the possibility of transferring more ambulances to Judea, Samaria and the northern border area, and possibly purchasing numerous additional ambulances in order to provide proper coverage to the area and fill the gap left by this turn of events,” added Eli Beer, president and founder of United Hatzolah.
“We call upon the residents of these areas to call our dispatch center in the event of any medical emergency. The telephone number for United Hatzolah is 1221.
“All of our responders are volunteers, and there is no charge for the emergency services that we provide for public health and safety,” Beer said.