blog_michaela Michaela Simai
Michaela is a 20 year old from Melbourne
who has a deep love for Magen David Adom.
This isn’t her first time as an MDA volunteer and
Michaela is determined that it won’t be her last.
She writes here about her experiences ….

Thursday, 14th February 2013

blog_michaela01Today, at 2:00pm, my ambulance was called to a serious car accident in the intersection of Bar Ilan and Shmuel Hanavi streets in Jerusalem. A driver had hit three pedestrians, all of whom were seriously injured.

My driver arrived within four minutes of receiving the call (driving like only an Israeli ever could) and already there were two ambulances on the scene and countless volunteers helping treat the victims. The patients were all evacuated in Intensive Care ambulances within minutes and taken straight to the trauma room at Hadassah Ein Karem, Jerusalem’s Level A hospital.

From the perspective of an onlooker, the scene was an absolute mess of bystanders, cars (some were still trying to drive through the intersection), medics, policemen, ambulances, blood and equipment. And yet although it was not being called a mass-casualty incident, I was astounded at the aptitude of MDA to arrive, treat and evacuate these patients so quickly amongst such a tangle of people all shouting instructions and expletives under intense pressure.

Each day, I’m privileged to work for Magen David Adom, I’m given the opportunity to learn more about people, Israel, myself and what it means to truly help others – especially those in need. I’m constantly taken aback by the capacity of MDA workers and volunteers to care for people and today was no exception.

Thank you to everyone who gives their time to Magen David Adom, whether as a worker or volunteer. And thank you to those who helped today. The work you do makes such a difference to so many and I consider myself privileged to be a Magen David Adom volunteer, one of you, and associated with such an organisation that preserves everything that makes us human …

… and all in a day’s work.