Confronting COVID with Ambulance Victoria
"Our brand new Unit 57, who had just cleared the previous call, was the unit who just happened to pass by the second call."
In early December a call came through to the Hatzolah emergency line saying that someone was having a seizure on the side of the road. The caller then said that Hatzolah was in attendance. No one had dispatched the call yet, so how was it possible? It just so happened that Unit 43 manned by Daniel Lazar was passing by at the time.
A mere 30 minutes later, another call came through for someone else having a seizure on the side of a different road. The caller then said that Hatzolah was in attendance.
“Two different calls. Two different locations. Two different patients,” general manager of Hatzolah Leon Landau observed. “Our brand new Unit 57, who had just cleared the previous call, was the unit who just happened to pass by the second call.”
Landau recounted the story at a recent Hatzolah dinner, during which he spoke about the first responder organisation’s positive and growing relationship with Ambulance Victoria (AV) in the midst of another COVID-19 strain.
Hatzolah and Ambulance Victoria began their relationship in 2018 but throughout the pandemic, the need for teamwork has been more present than ever. In October, members of the Hatzolah team were trained in preparation to help the emergency service on their shifts.
“Hatzolah was severely impacted by both Delta and Omicron, with our call volumes effectively doubling over the summer months. The outstanding dedication of our responders, dispatchers and incredible team at Ambulance Victoria, has enabled us to go above and beyond to support the Jewish and broader community in more ways than ever before,” Landau told The AJN.
Paramedic Mike Ray of AV played a key role in the Jewish first-response service procuring the personal protective equipment (PPE) they required.
“In the beginning of the pandemic, we, like the rest of the world, had no idea what we were facing. Fundamentals such as quality face masks and sanitiser were in seriously short supply – we even ordered ethanol and aloe vera in case we would need to make up our own sanitiser,” Landau shared.
“Guidelines were continuously changing. Permits were required for us to operate during curfew. Through all the confusion, Mike was always there at the end of the line – to guide us and help us continue responding,” he said.
“The pandemic has been horrendous in so many ways: lives lost, people sick, loved ones separated at the very times that they should be closest.”
But he added, “There have been positives too. None more spectacular than people and organisations becoming closer, working together in adversity, building lasting relationships and friendships, and pushing aside barriers, the benefits of which will be felt long after the pandemic has passed.”
In a medical emergency, you can call Hatzolah on 1800 613613
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