This past Monday night, just after 8 p.m., United Hatzalah volunteer EMT Avraham Arnon was finishing his shift in the Maccabi vaccination center in Ramla, when his communications device alerted him to a nearby medical emergency. A woman had gone into labor in a taxi on route 1, one of Israel’s busiest Highways. Avraham grabbed his medical kit and hopped on his ambucycle and raced to the scene.

After searching the multiple lanes of the highway for the taxi cab in question, Avraham noticed a vehicle stopped on the side of the road. The cab driver spotted Avraham’s bright orange ambucycle and jacket and immediately signaled him over.

The 32-year-old woman had already begun active labor in the back seat of the taxi. This was her sixth birth and she was struggling to get through it, all the while holding her husband’s hand who was sitting beside her. When Avraham arrived, he took out his birthing kit and assisted the mother throughout the rest of the delivery, making sure that there were no complications and that both mother and baby were kept warm throughout the process.

After the baby boy was born, Avraham asked the husband to cut the umbilical cord. Avraham then checked the baby’s vital signs, to make sure he was healthy and stable and wrapped him in a warm blanket and reflective heat blanket before handing him to his parents.

The couple had been planning to deliver their baby in Netanya, so when the ambulance arrived, they were taken to Laniado Hospital in Netanya, which was not the closest hospital, but as the baby was already delivered and both mother and baby were stable, the ambulance team deferred to the wishes of the family.

“When I respond to an emergency, my adrenaline is heightened and I am in full action mode,” commented Avraham. “Sometimes, calls are unsuccessful and don’t end in saving a life. But the ones that are successful, where I can help someone, those give me the energy I need and serve as the purpose behind why I continue to respond to another emergency, always in the hopes of being to help someone and the chance to save a life.”

After returning home, Avraham received a phone call from the woman’s husband. He thanked Avraham for being there to help his wife deliver their baby safely. He expressed his gratitude and explained to Avraham that the couple had sadly lost their previous child during labor. He thanked Avraham for saving his wife and child. Avraham then replied to him with a thank you, for the opportunity to save a life.