A unique Advanced Life Support Boat was dedicated by Magen David Adom at Lake Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) in Tiberias. The Advanced Life Support Boat can moor close enough to shore where team members can disembark and load patients without setting foot in the water. It can travel the widest length of the lake in under eight minutes, which provides the ability to evacuate patients quickly to awaiting ambulances on the beach.
The boat is run by a team of MDA paramedics and EMTs equipped with advanced medical equipment. Since its inauguration this month, the crew has responded to several incidents on the Kinneret and its shores, including a case where a 21-year-old man was seriously injured by a boat rutter; a two-month-old baby who was burned by hot water at the beach; and a 12-year-old boy who became dehydrated during a cruise and lost consciousness, hitting his head on the pier.
“The new boat will operate in all conditions and is designed to provide medical assistance at the advanced life support level for all who need us,” said Yossi Halabi, manager of MDA’s Immediate Response Department.
“The bow of the boat opens to allow easy loading of the patient both in the water and on the beaches,” Halabi explained. “It’s outfitted with advanced medical equipment, including a defibrillator, respirator, stretcher, and more. The abundance of lifesaving capabilities makes this boat one of a kind.”
In addition to its easy loading capabilities, the Advanced Life Support Boat is resistant to damage and dents that can be caused by rocks and vegetation in the water. With two of the newest engines ever manufactured, it reaches a speed up to 35 knots, even in extremely complex conditions. The boat can carry up to 1,000 kg. (2,205 lbs.), as well as eight crew members and/or patients.
The new Advanced Life Support will dock at Lido Beach in Tiberias. This location grants quick access to any of the beaches to the east and west. The location also allows the crew to assist in road accidents on two major highways that run along the lake.
The new Advanced Life Support Boat in conjunction with MDA’s Seabulance and jet ski, which began operations in 2019, will make it possible to save dozens of lives each summer.
“MDA’s Advanced Life Support Boat will allow us to significantly improve our capabilities and reach all patients,” said Eli Bin, MDA director-general. “I thank our dear donors from Canada, Leonard and Feigel Shapiro and their families, for making this possible.”