IsraelSeen Exclusive Amir Chaik, a Proud Christian Volunteer from Haifa
On a recent Friday afternoon Amir Chaik, a proud Christian volunteer from Haifa, was at home when his United Hatzalah radio alerted him to a nearby emergency regarding a woman who suffered a sudden cardiac arrest. Knowing that every second could mean the difference between life and death Amir flew to the scene on his ambucycle and was the first responder on site.
He grabbed his medical kit and rushed into the apartment, where he was greeted by the woman’s grandson. He led Amir to where his grandmother lay pulseless and not breathing on the couch.
Together the men gently lowered her to the floor and Amir launched into a vigorous round of CPR compressions, keeping the oxygenated blood circulating to her brain. More than 4 minutes passed until he was joined by another first responder, a paramedic from United Hatzalah. The paramedic intubated the patient, provided assisted ventilation and then administered adrenaline as Amir continued the strenuous chest compressions.
A few more minutes went by where the first responders switched positions between performing compressions and monitoring the woman’s airway and breathing for her using a B.V.M. device until a paramedic from another organization was on site. The new paramedic seamlessly joined the battle to save the woman’s life. After a lengthy resuscitation effort, the paramedic was ready to pronounce death when the woman’s pulse and blood pressure suddenly returned. The woman was then rushed to the hospital in critical but stable condition, much to the joy of the grandson who had been witnessing the entire incident.
Without a doubt, Amir’s rapid arrival, made possible by his ambucycle, helped save this woman’s life. As in every case of sudden cardiac arrest, the first few minutes are vital to the success of the resuscitation.
(FYI the photo is from a Christmas Parade in Nazareth that the two volunteers were safeguarding and not from the incident described. )
