Israeli volunteer rescue concept eyeing Detroit

Jerusalem – Dovie Maisel sounds like an evangelist.
Not for him or for a religion, but for a cause called United Hatzalah. The network of trained volunteers answers calls for emergency medical care in Israel’s largest cities and across the country — and it could be coming to Michigan’s largest city if Maisel and city officials can realize his newest dream.
“The mayor and deputy mayor are interested in bringing the process to Detroit,” Maisel told more than 20 Michigan CEOs in Israel this month to get a deeper understanding of the entrepreneurialism driving Israel’s startup ethos. “We are not coming to take any jobs. We are the community. We are coming to help them.”
The city and its EMT units are in preliminary discussions with United Hatzalah to see if the Israeli concept, to be launched this month in Jersey City, New Jersey, could be adapted for Detroit. The effort would be designed to complement, not compete with, the city’s stressed EMT units; to train community volunteers; and potentially to create a cadre of skilled technicians who could vie for EMT openings in Detroit or elsewhere.

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/bus...roit/75622880/

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Originally Posted by Vic01

Jerusalem – Dovie Maisel sounds like an evangelist.
Not for him or for a religion, but for a cause called United Hatzalah. The network of trained volunteers answers calls for emergency medical care in Israel’s largest cities and across the country — and it could be coming to Michigan’s largest city if Maisel and city officials can realize his newest dream.
“The mayor and deputy mayor are interested in bringing the process to Detroit,” Maisel told more than 20 Michigan CEOs in Israel this month to get a deeper understanding of the entrepreneurialism driving Israel’s startup ethos. “We are not coming to take any jobs. We are the community. We are coming to help them.”
The city and its EMT units are in preliminary discussions with United Hatzalah to see if the Israeli concept, to be launched this month in Jersey City, New Jersey, could be adapted for Detroit. The effort would be designed to complement, not compete with, the city’s stressed EMT units; to train community volunteers; and potentially to create a cadre of skilled technicians who could vie for EMT openings in Detroit or elsewhere.

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/bus...roit/75622880/

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What can it hurt?

Have them come, train locals, and improve emergency response in Detroit.

I like the idea, but I think the ambulance chasers would have a field day with this. Perhaps the "Good Samaritan" type laws would help shield individuals, but I have little doubt that some slimy lawyers would be lining up go after the organization when something goes wrong.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Vic01

Jerusalem – Dovie Maisel sounds like an evangelist.
Not for him or for a religion, but for a cause called United Hatzalah. The network of trained volunteers answers calls for emergency medical care in Israel’s largest cities and across the country — and it could be coming to Michigan’s largest city if Maisel and city officials can realize his newest dream.
“The mayor and deputy mayor are interested in bringing the process to Detroit,” Maisel told more than 20 Michigan CEOs in Israel this month to get a deeper understanding of the entrepreneurialism driving Israel’s startup ethos. “We are not coming to take any jobs. We are the community. We are coming to help them.”
The city and its EMT units are in preliminary discussions with United Hatzalah to see if the Israeli concept, to be launched this month in Jersey City, New Jersey, could be adapted for Detroit. The effort would be designed to complement, not compete with, the city’s stressed EMT units; to train community volunteers; and potentially to create a cadre of skilled technicians who could vie for EMT openings in Detroit or elsewhere.

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An engaged populace is the best thing a city can have. I don't care much how we deliver excellent care to our citizens -- so long as we do.

Several Hatzalah [[or Hatzolah) ambulance companies are very active in the Orthodox Jewish neighborhoods in NYC. I used to see them quite often when I lived in Brooklyn. They generally just stuck to their own neighborhoods though, where I understand they do quite a good job with very fast response times using volunteer trained EMTs, often working beside the city's EMTs.

However, I gather that the Israeli Hatzalah organization has unified most of the small volunteer ambulance companies into a single coordinated service, and has branched out of the strictly Orthodox communities, improving response times in a lot of the country. It's a model they now seem to want to export to see if it can work in cities with problems in EMT response.