Israel Seen Exclusive – The Art of Running And Saving A Life
The pair of United Hatzalah volunteer EMTs, Yuval Shlafman and Amir Gellis know each other quite well as they meet up early Friday mornings on Hatzuk Beach, as part of their Tel Aviv-based triathlon training club. With COVID-19 related restrictions gradually lifting across Israel, the seasoned athletes are slowly returning to their regular training regimen.
This past Friday at 6:00 a.m., after a ‘warm-up’ one-kilometer run, the triathlon team gathered for a short huddle. Just then, one member of the team Ron Herbert, himself an ‘Ironman’ and avid marathon runner, suffered a sudden cardiac arrest and collapsed on the pedestrian pathway.
Amir and Yuval were immediately at Ron’s side and began checking for a pulse. The pair of seasoned EMTs found none and instantly launched into emergency resuscitation. Amir radioed United Hatzalah’s Dispatch and Command Center and requested back up. Yuval tossed the ambucycle keys to a friend from the running team and shouted “Hurry! We need the rescue kit!”.
Once brought, the defibrillator pads were attached and a lifesaving shock was administered from the AED. Additional United Hatzalah medics arrived and joined the resuscitation effort. They alternated providing assisted ventilation with the bag valve mask (BVM) and continuing compressions while Amir attached an IV line.
By the time the intensive care crew arrived, 17 minutes later, Yuval, Amir, and their United Hatzalah colleagues had managed to restart Ron’s heart. Medications were administered, and the 60-year-old athlete was intubated and evacuated to the cath lab at Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center (Ichilov Hospital) for an emergency procedure.
As of Tuesday morning, Ron was on the road to recovery. Ron’s wife reached out to the EMTs and expressed her gratitude in a heartfelt message. She informed them that her husband had regained consciousness in the hospital and is well on his way to making a full recovery thanks to their efforts. A week later, Yuval and Amir visited Ron at his home.
Ron thanked Amir and Yuval during the heartfelt reunion. “A week ago I suffered a cardiac arrest. Without the immediate intervention of Amir and Yuval and United Hatzalah I wouldn’t be here, I’d be somewhere else today. So thank you for saving me. I am happy to still be here.”
