Medical Equipment

The list below is a partial list of the "tools of our trade" which we use constantly to help patients in the best possible manner and as quickly and efficiently as possible. Please remember that every life that we save using equipment donated by you, is considered as if you had saved that same life.

Most of the prices are taken directly from the Ichud Hatzola website and represent the cost of purchase in Israel. The order of the equipment is in order of urgency for us at the moment.

Please send your generous donation to:

Hatzola Tel Zion
c/o Davidowitz family
Kehilot Yaakov 5/3
Tel Zion, 90622
ISRAEL

Advanced First Aid kit: $1,800

This kit contains the most essential lifesaving equipment. Included is: an oxygen tank, resuscitation masks for adults and children, a foot-operated suction pump to remove fluids from the mouth/nose of patients, an intravenous bag, a blood pressure cuff, etc. All of these devices can also be donated separately.

We currently have only a small number of these bags that were provided to us. Due to the high demand for this most basic essential item, we can only receive a few every year. Only with your help can we get the 12 10 extra kits that we need to outfit everyone in our branch.

* One of these kits donated via this website *
* helped save a young father of 4 small children *

Fully-equipped Ambulance: $92,000

This is a multi-trauma treatment center on wheels which is fully outfitted to deal with all standard medical emergencies and conditions which follow a terrorist attack or are just needed under regular conditions to transport patients to hospital as quickly as possible so as to get medical assistance immediately.

The bulletproof ambulance pictured here is better protected that an average ambulance and can be used to evacuate patients even in situations were it is not certain that danger has passed. It costs more than a regular ambulance ($120,000), but lessens the risk for everyone when we attend to patients behind the "green line" or while a shooting or terrorist attack is in progress.

The ambulance that we have in the community currently, is rented at high cost, is second hand, and needs repairs once or twice a month. It has also done over three times the regular mileage of most ambulances. We urgently need our own ambulance that our group will run and keep in top condition.

Semi-automated Defibrillator: $2,500

This is used in cases where a patient's heart ceases to function. It emits an electrical shock to the patient's chest that stimulates the heart, thus stabilizing a patient's pulse. The availability of this device can make the essential difference between the life and death of a victim of a heart attack. Our organization has two of these- one in the ambulance and one private. But the time until the ambulance or that one person arrives, can make all the difference.

* One of these defibrillators donated via this website *
* helped save a young father of 4 small children *

Pulse Oximeter: $985

This is a device which measure's a patient's oxygen level. Within seconds one can determine whether a patient who would not under normal circumstances be administered oxygen, needs it and he can be saved simply by receiving oxygen. See Personal Stories for a real story where just this happened. These devices should be carried by every volunteer, but at the moment there is only one in our ambulance.

Oxygen tank and regulator: $360

These are used in almost all cases to help revive victims who are short of breath or are determined not to have enough oxygen in their blood. This is included in the Advanced First Aid kit.

Adult Resuscitation mask: $290
Child Resuscitation mask: $180

These are to give artificial respiration to any person who has stopped breathing. Even though this resucitation can be given via the classic 'mouth-to-mouth', this device, once connected to an oxygen tank, delivers 90% oxygen straight into the lungs instead of the 21% delivered via 'mouth-to-mouth'. This item is included in the Advanced First Aid kit.

Suction: $235

This foot-operated suction pump is used to remove fluids and other obstructions from the mouth and nose of patients who have stopped breathing on their own. It is fully foot-operated to enable the volunteer's hands to remain free to continue working. This pump is included in the Advanced First Aid kit.

Bulletproof vest: $1,400.

This type of protective gear protects rescue personnel who respond to all types of emergency calls including terrorist gunfire attacks.

Other equipment that is needed on a constant basis includes:

• Pager: $180.
  All emergency rescue organizations are connected to an emergency dispatcher network that notifies subscribers instantly of all information necessary- location of incident, and basic medical information, and contact information. This is usually the only way for the volunteer to know when and where he is needed. Only a few volunteers have these. For the many who don't have a two-way radio or aren't constantly able to monitor it, the only way to find out about calls, is by telephone call from an other voluteer. This is the most basic piece of equipment, and is greatly lacking.
   
• Fully equipped emergency motorbike: $22,000.
  During the initial, critical minutes following a terrorist attack, traffic conditions can only be described as havoc. Medically equipped motorbikes are often the only way to get through the traffic and get immediate access to patients. In our hilly neighborhood, getting to patients can leave one out-of-breath. Having equipment on the spot immediately can make all the difference. We recently recieved one of these motorbikes which responds extremely quickly to calls in the area.

 
• Two-way radio: $940.
  Real-time communication between Ichud Hatzola volunteers at the scene, those still on the way, and the ambulance makint its way to the incident, saves lives by informing the volunteers exactly what to expect. Only half of our volunteers have these. This means that volunteers with a pager have to respond to every call as if they were the only one responding. This means that these volunteers have to get to the incident as quick as possible even if there there are already enough people at the scene or aren't needed urgently any more. These radios are used constanly and are very much in need.
   
• Blood pressure cuff: $36.
  These are used to monitor and report the patient's vital signs, information that will assist the medical team administering subsequent care. This is included in the Advanced First Aid kit.

 
• ID jacket: $80.
  Ichud Hatzolah's distinctive orange vests help the police and army forces identify the professional emergency services personnel, and remove curious bystanders. The many large pockets of these vests are always filled with protective gloves, bandages of various sorts, as well as many other small pieces of equipment that is constantly used. Volunteers who own cars have them on the back of their seats, available to be put on quickly and even while driving. Others have more than one- one at home, work etc.
   
• Pocket resuscitation mask: $36.
  Facilitates immediate and effective artificial respiration while protecting the sanitary conditions of the patient and the volunteer. The compact size of these items allows many volunteers to keep one in their pocket at all times, to be used immediatly in case of emergency.
   
• Instruction Center.
  This complex requires constant upkeep and serves the local volunteers. Once a month there is a group meeting where all volunteers discuss the calls of the past month and analyze what was done and how procedures could be improved for the future. Costly training equipment is also constantly available to all volunteers who wish to perfect their skills and keep their skills finely tuned.

As a service to our donors, all equipment donated will have the donors information attached to it, so that when lives are saved with the equipment, the donor can be contacted and informed. Obviously all information will be anonymous to protect the patient's identity.