Magen David Adom

Supporting Magen David Adom in Saving Lives

Sydney rallies to support MDA during Guardian of the Walls

During May 2021 Israel was under attack and MDA was once again on the frontline. MDA teams were stretched saving lives under threat from missiles or riots.

Australian Friends of Magen David Adom immediately called for an emergency appeal which was wholeheartedly supported by our many members and friends. We thank you for your response and generosity.
Throughout the whole period, MDA blood services teams faced two challenges: maintaining MDA’s blood supply and supplying it to hospitals and securing the treatment facilities for the blood units and components. Laboratories which prepared blood components and blood classification had to be moved to the safety of secure shelters to ensure availability of blood supplies to hospitals and the IDF. During the fighting, MDA Blood Services provided about 700 units of blood and components, in addition to daily requirements.

MDA teams and vehicles from all regions were mobilised meaning that many of the MDA teams left their families behind, in shelters, so they could go out to save lives. Leaving their families, at this time required great emotional strength but they were driven to fulfil their mission to care for the injured often while in the line of fire themselves.

At one point, during tensions and riots in mixed Arab-Jewish towns, teams treated and evacuated victims while having rocks and heavy objects hurled at them, damaging ambulances and smashing windscreens.

The “Guardians of the Walls” in numbers

  • 11 days of fighting
  • 4,500 missiles were fired towards Israel
  • 374 MDA lifesaving vehicles were deployed
  • 12 people were killed
  • 600 injured were treated by MDA
  • 257 people suffered from stress symptoms and were treated by MDA
  • 7,030 “Red Alert” sirens were heard
  • Ashdod and Ashkelon were the cities where mostly missiles were concentrated, about 400 alerts were sounded in each of them
  • 12 Ambulances and 1 Medicycle were damaged as a result of stones thrown during the riots in mixed cities

MDA NSW – putting more ambulances on Israel’s roads

Thank you, our dear supporters for answering MDA’s call to raise urgently needed funds to replace the ambulances damaged in the recent conflict in Israel.

MDA’s ambulances have been under extreme pressure during COVID and the recent Guardian of the Walls operation when 374 lifesaving vehicles were deployed. 12 of the ambulances were destroyed in the conflict and thanks to the generosity of the NSW Community, we are able to replace 4 of them – 3 Basic Life Support ambulances and 1 Mobile Intensive Care Ambulance. Thank you for digging deep to support the 2021 Annual Campaign.

As an NGO and non-profit organisation, MDA does not receive any funding from the State of Israel and all of its emergency vehicles, including its ambulances, are donated by generous donors from around the world. We are pleased to be able to play a significant role through your generous support.

Ambulances play an integral role in MDA’s ability to provide vital lifesaving treatment in emergency situations.

With a fleet of over 2,000 lifesaving vehicles, the majority of these are ambulances – Basic Life Support, Mobile Intensive Care, 4 wheel drive, Bloodmobiles, armoured ambulances to mention a few. Each ambulance
type is tailored to MDA Israel’s specifications to maximise their efficiency
and ability to save lives with minimal response times, when each extra minute can be a matter of life or death.

MDA’s emergency vehicles are on constant high alert and must be replaced at a rate of more than 80 vehicles per year. We aim to play an important role here in Australia with our fundraising efforts so that MDA’s 24,000 volunteers and 3,000 staff can continue their critical lifesaving work.

We welcome the chance to discuss donation opportunities and naming rights. Please contact Rivkah Lazarus or Tamara Lowbeer at the MDA office for more information.

Every 41 seconds an ambulance is dispatched