At around 5:00 PM last Sunday, a 7-year-old boy was hit by a car on HaRav Kook street in Hadera. The boy had run between two cars into the street and was hit by the passing vehicle. He sustained serious injuries to his head and upper body.
Immediately upon receiving notification of the accident from dispatch, United Hatzalah volunteer EMT Sharon Shmuel sprang into action, mounting his United Hatzalah electric bicycle and rushing to the scene of the accident which was only 2 blocks away from his house.
Sharon arrived in under 30 seconds and was the first responder there. He dropped down next to the injured boy who was sprawled out on the pavement and took his vitals. The boy was unconscious, and as soon as Sharon looked into his eyes he realized that the boy must have received a severe head injury and a possible concussion. Sharon immobilized the boy and initiated treatment.
A few minutes after Sharon had finished taking the boy’s vitals and administered initial treatment, an ambulance showed up. Sharon told the EMT and driver to bring the backboard out so that they could quickly move the boy inside and begin transporting him to the hospital without wasting any more precious time. The other EMT and Sharon placed the injured boy on the backboard and then on the bed inside the ambulance, in a scoop-and-run operation, and sped off to the hospital. Sharon joined the ambulance team for the transport and took charge of the treatment in the back of the ambulance.
“There was no time to waste,” Sharon recalled. “I didn’t want to delay the admittance of the boy into the hospital even by a second, because of the seriousness of his situation. Treating him in the ambulance instead of at the scene was our best bet.”
Sharon inserted an airway into the boy’s mouth and throat and connected the artificial respiration device to ventilate. He stabilized the boy’s head and neck with a brace to prevent spinal injury as they drove on.
After four minutes, they stopped at the intersection by Route 4 where an intensive care ambulance was waiting for them. Sharon helped transfer the boy into the other ambulance. He quickly informed the paramedic inside so he could continue treatment on the drive the rest of the way to the Hillel Yaffe medical center.
Sharon went back to pick up his electric bicycle, phone, and medical equipment where he had left them before rushing off in the ambulance.
Sharon was later informed that the boy was received by his mother, who works in the emergency room. “It was very emotional for the mother to see her son admitted into the hospital in such circumstances, but thankfully she was there and able to make sure that he received the appropriate treatment immediately,” Sharon said. “They performed a CT scan and found internal bleeding in the boy’s head.”
Thanks to Sharon’s timely actions, the boy was able to receive treatment fast, which saved his life. After initial testing at Hillel Yaffe, the boy was transferred to the Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer for further treatment.
“I’m so glad I was able to arrive quickly at the scene because in most cases, including this one, immediate medical attention is paramount for saving a life,” said Sharon after the incident. “I was left with a strong feeling of elation because with my help, the young child will be able to enjoy his life ahead of him, please God. It’s so rewarding.”
