Volunteers from United Hatzalah evacuated patients to safety at Hadassah Medical Center’s Mount Scopus campus during Iranian air raids Saturday morning.
As alarms sounded across Jerusalem and the whole of Israel, hospital leadership entered emergency protocols, moving patients and staff into protected areas and away from more exposed parts of the facility.
United Hatzalah volunteers assisted medical teams in coordinating the transition of patients to safer sections of the hospital. With some departments having already been transferred to underground safe zones, the volunteers were tasked with moving the remaining patients.
This process included physically supporting critically ill and immobile individuals as well as continuing to monitor patients and provide care throughout the relocation process - all while under sirens and the threat of Iranian ballistic missiles.
Tense but disciplined atmosphere during evacuation
Emergency medical responders described the atmosphere as tense but disciplined, as the volunteers showcased their ability to mitigate risks, assess patients based on condition, and move fragile patients.
The volunteers’ quick and thoughtful reaction to the situation made the evacuation possible, despite being one of the most intense international conflicts that Israel has faced in recent years.
The United Hatzalah of Israel is a non-profit Emergency Medical Services organization that is fully volunteer-based, with the goal of providing fast, free emergency medical care.
The Mount Scopus campus is located in Jerusalem, containing over 30 departments and clinics, and serves Jewish and Arab neighborhoods in northern and eastern Jerusalem.