UH Muslim volunteers in east Jerusalem – Illustration
IsraelSeen Exclusive Taking Break From Coffee To Save A Life
Ebud Beker is a Muslim United Hatzalah EMT hailing from a small village in East Jerusalem. This past Friday, Ebud was enjoying a coffee with his two brothers at a local coffee shop when his emergency communications device began to ring. A 20-year-old man had collapsed in his home and was unconscious. Ebud’s brothers recognized the sound of their brothers alert, knowing very well that their brother had to leave and save a life. Ebud quickly jumped on his ambucycle and drove to the given location.
Arriving in just under 4 minutes, Ebud entered a home where he found the man lying on the ground unconscious and not breathing. After a quick check of vitals and finding no pulse, Ebud concluded that the man had suffered from cardiac arrest and began CPR.
The EMT quickly attached a defibrillator and began chest compressions on the man in an attempt to save his life. The defibrillator advised giving a shock, so Ebud stopped with the chest compressions and administered a shock, resuming the compressions once the shock was delivered. Other Muslim United Hatzalah volunteers from the nearby neighborhoods arrived to assist Ebud. They provided assisted ventilation and high-flow oxygen and rotated performing compressions among them. After 20 minutes of intense CPR including three shocks from the defibrillator, the man’s pulse returned. A few moments after the man’s pulse came back, a mobile intensive care unit arrived to transport the man to the nearest hospital.
As the ambulance crew was putting the now breathing patient in the ambulance, the man managed to utter a few words to Ebud. He thanked the EMT for saving his life and told him that he was grateful to Ebud for doing all the right moves and saving his life.
“It is all thanks to United Hatzalah that I can do my part on this earth and save lives,” said Ebud. “As a Muslim, in addition to saving lives around my community, I am able to spread awareness about United Hatzalah’s organization, how we work, and what our values are. Thanks to the generous donors who fund our work and the actions of the selfless volunteers who leave their families and friends to rush out whenever they are called upon, we are able to save so many lives. I feel honored to be a part of such an organization and to be able to fulfill my duty of helping others as an EMT.”
