MDA paramedic Yoel Kahn was among the teams dispatched to the sector:
“I received the first casualty at the staging point in Kochav Michael. He suffered from penetrating injuries resulting
from gunfire and shrapnel. I received him in a hand-off from Hadas Ehrlich’s bulletproof Mobile Intensive Care Unit team. We agreed he
had to stay awake, and I would get him to the hospital alive. We treated him with medication, gave him plasma (a blood
component), and fluids on the way to the hospital, performing every possible action for him until we arrived at the
hospital. After evacuating casualties to Barzilai Hospital in Ashkelon, my team and I had to break into a
burning house and rescue four elderly residents who were suffering from smoke inhalation. The firefighters were on their way to the scene,
and we realized that if we didn’t go in at that moment and get them out, they wouldn’t survive. Toward 7:00 PM, I evacuated two reserve
soldiers who suffered from gunshot and shrapnel wounds. As part of my role in MDA, I evacuated and treated several casualties
amidst sirens. In these cases, we get out of the ambulance and protect the wounded with our own bodies.”
Happily, Yoel, known as “Yoyo” to his friends, was recently invited to the wedding of the sister of one of
the wounded men he saved that day, who is now back on his feet. There is no greater satisfaction than this.
