Stories From the Streets: 48 Minutes of CPR

On a recent Sunday morning, a man in his 90s was eating breakfast at his home in Safed when he choked on his food, lost consciousness, and collapsed. Worried family members called emergency services for help. 

United Hatzalah volunteer EMTs Yechiel Roshetzky and Elchanan Cohen were at their respective homes, each a few blocks from the incident. Roshetzky had just finished breakfast and was about to head out to Netanya for work when he received the alert. He quickly changed focus and rushed out to respond to the emergency, as did Cohen. 

Roshetzky got in his car and drove the block to the location, while Cohen, who had just dropped off his children at school, rushed over on his ambucycle and arrived at the same time. The pair found the man lying near his table with his meal unfinished. They immediately began CPR, attaching a defibrillator and initiating chest compressions. After a few moments additional volunteers from United Hatzalah arrived and joined in the effort, attaching an oxygen tank and nonrebreather mask to assist ventilation. 

For 30 minutes the team of volunteers performed basic life support CPR while waiting for a mobile intensive care ambulance. When the ambulance finally arrived, the paramedic and driver joined the rescue effort, administering medications and fluids. After an additional 15 minutes, the paramedic was preparing to call off the effort. Just then Roshetzky, who was administering ventilation at the time, checked the man’s pulse and was happily surprised to find one. 

“I immediately informed the paramedic, who had stepped outside to call for a medical consult, and we were all overjoyed the man’s pulse returned,” Roshetzky says. “There were no shocks given during the entire effort, and intubation had been difficult due to the blockage in the man’s throat, but we persevered, and the man’s pulse was steady and strong. Forty-eight minutes after I initiated CPR with Cohen, the man regained a pulse and was transported to the hospital.” 

Due to the ambulance being short-staffed, Cohen joined the ambulance team during transport to the hospital.

“During the trip to Ziv Medical Center, the patient crashed, and his pulse was lost,” Cohen recounts. “I performed compressions in the ambulance, and we brought his pulse back once again. When we finally arrived at the hospital, we transferred the patient to the doctors in the trauma center with a pulse, and they took over the treatment and efforts to save the man’s life. I am thankful I had the opportunity to be on the side that gives help today, and I hope to keep doing that whenever I can.”

Raphael Poch is the international media spokesperson for United Hatzalah.