Why There Are No Ambulances In Jerusalem 

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Turning Jerusalem into a series of highways and parking lots, is an interesting way to end the conflict, an American city planners dream

I'm from the Old City team and we actually DO have 2 ambulances: - A small ATV ambulance that can navigate most of the streets of the Old City - A smaller than normal Ambulance built in a Mercedes Vito frame that can only use some of the streets of the Old City but also allows us to evacuate fast from the Old City to hospitals/external ambulances through Zion gate (through which a normal ambulance won't fit). In extreme situations (severe snow storms) both vehicles may end up being used to evacuate all the way to a hospital though we prefer to transfer to external ambulances as soon as possible to not leave the Old City without emergency response vehicles for as short a period as possible. First responders from inside the Old City will be mostly on foot or bicycle/scooter and volunteer with one or both organizations mentioned. Knowledge of the actual streets and alleyways is also vital even in this age of GPS. Other "quality of life" improvements we have for our medics is that we have installed emergency response cabinets at strategic locations thus medics that are responding on foot to calls don't need to carry ~12kg in equipment for great distances. The "French Hospital" cited in the video is to the best of my knowledge a Hospice facility with no Emergency capabilities (in all my years we never evacuated there).

Please clarify, this is only the old city of Jerusalem, which is only about 1 square mile. The rest of Jerusalem has normal roads, and ambulances. Garbage pick up in the old city is done with a small dumpster that's pulled by an ATV (theirs tracks on streets that have steps) My grandfather remembered when it was done with a donkey.

Props to Sam for uploading to the right channel this time

The western wall is accessable to cars, and even busses. The french hospital is not an actual hospital anymore, it's currently a hospice. The closest ER to the old city of Jerusalem is in Hadasa Har Hatsofim. Hazala work in all of Israel, not just Jerusalem, using the same system. MDA has ambulance mopeds all across Israel, not just in Jerusalem.

As a paramedic I 100% approve of the term Wee Woo Wagon

My brother's part of hatzala, and carries car keys, a phone, and walkie talkie on shabbos despite being observant in case of an emergency. It's completely volunteers, and my brother responds to about 2-3 calls a week

He really pronounced the CH in Challah like that lmfao

Fun fact: There are actually new, smaller vehicles used by MDA/ Hatzola called Bimbulances- combining the kiddy car name in Hebrew "Bimba" and "ambulance" as they fit one person and equipment. They are used similarly to the bikes to get to an emergency faster than an ambulance, or in narrow-road neighbourhoods (like the old city)!

I hear “not for profit ambulance service” and think “Aren’t they all? Oh, wait…”

2:28 that challah pronunciation killed something inside of me even tho it’s a joke

Most people already mentioned the main mistakes in video, but there’s another that I didn’t see mentioned. MDA is definitely NOT a part of the IDF. They are completely separated and have nothing to do with the military. The MDA is regulated by the Ministry of Internal Security, while the IDF is under the Ministry of Defense. Also there isn’t a single Hospital in Israel which is owned or operated by MDA. Hospitals in Israel are either privately owned or owned by the state or owned and operated by one of the four national healthcare are providers(Kupat Cholim). Also MDA do not instruct nurses, it’s a profession you study in university. They only instruct their own medics and drivers. I’m actually not sure how sam got so many inaccuracies in one video

Uhhh. 1. There’s a full on bus stop that can handle double length busses that’s probably less than 100 yards from the western wall, and it’s all very well paved so they’d be able to easily get a wheeled stretcher anywhere in the area. Car access to the Al Aqsa compound up top is probably via the Lion’s gate, which is also like 100 yards from the giant courtyard area, which is also plenty smooth enough to roll a stretcher over. In general, there are a number of roads that do venture into the old city, and you’re never far from a place that a normal ambulance would be able to access. So they just use a stretcher, just like anywhere else in the world. 2. The ambucycles operate City wide and are more about getting medical equipment and expertise to the patient quickly even if there’s traffic or whatever, and they don’t actually transport the patient. That’s still an ambulance thing. 3. The hospital you mentioned is more of a palliative care ward, and nobody would go there for an emergency. Interesting to see how un-thorough the research is whenever these videos touch on things I know about.

Correction: MDA (mada?) Isn't part of the IDF - it's is a private non-profit organisation which balances it's checkbook by charging the Israeli government for Ambulance services (and by being staffed almost completely by volunteers). Even though MDA is a private kind-of commercial civilian organisation, the heads of it like the pretence of paramilitary (for some weird reason) and therefore this civilian organisation's managerial hierarchy has military-styled ranks and insignia, which they wear on their uniforms. Source: I live in Israel, had the misfortune of needing to use MDA services, and have several friends who were involved with MDA in different capacities.

FYI, MDA is very much **NOT** part of IDF

As a former war time MDA volunteer, I'll add another correction to the many and varied already listed. MDA is NOT and has never bean part of the IDF even during war time. As a red cross organization they assist injured combatants and civilians on both sides when needed. The closest they get to IDF is they train combat paramedics and many are IDF veterans. During war time they do hang behind the lines and help transport combatants and civilians they receive.

3:45 "People who observe the Sabbath, can break it with accordance to Hatzalah" As a Jew, may I offer a better way to make this statement. There is almost no Jewish law which supersedes one's life. So, yes, the Sabbath MUST be transgressed to save a person's life.

Actually, the western wall is accessible by car and bus as there is a a square for dropping people less then 100 meters from the western wall itself and 10 meters from the western wall plaza(on the outside of the security check point)

As a volunteer of United Hatzala there are quite a few inaccuracies. But thanks for the recognition of Israeli volunteer medics. You should do a video on the volunteer EMT system that United Hatzala has in Israel and other countries its fascinating

Almighty Conical Flask Approves of WeeWooWeeWooWeeWoo.

The old city of Jerusalem is not the city centre. Its even a tiny percentage of the city. 0.9 square km out of a total 125 square km = 0.7% . Quite an omission!

As a Seattle EMT, you basically just described what it's like to work at a UW husky football game. Pretty much to the tee. Just swap "religious pilgrim" for "drunk alumni in their 50s who doesn't know they can't party like they're 23 anymore"

A few corrections, united Hatzola also has their own ambulances that could transfer patients. Both MADA and United Hatzola use the ambucycles to get to a call quicker and both are able to get inside the old city, granted the Idea of an ambucycle comes from united Hatzola but MADA has also adopted it. As far as I'm aware United tends to claim a 90 second response time, idk if that's different for the old city specifically so I could be wrong in that regard. Otherwise this was a fantastic video!!! Source: I live here and have many friends involved in both organizations. Edit: fact check

You forgot to mention that MDA is the only branch of The red cross that has volunteer teens in it. You can volunteer from the 8th grade and up. And since volunteering and knowing how to give first aid are mandatory to study in Israel, Many teens do volunteer. (For your finals you need to volunteer a certain amount of hours, and you also, with addition to many more things, need to pass a 2 day course of giving first aid)

Holy shit your hebrew pronunciations 😂💀

Alright so we have, no rats in Alberta and now no ambulance in Jerusalem

I just love how he only acknowledged his mispronunciations after saying hatzallah, the only hebrew word he was close to pronouncing correctly. I'm f***ing dying over “tchallah” (the transliterated ch is pronounced close to the j in spanish) and “maygen dayvid adom” (its closer to mah-gen dah-veed)

When he pronounced "challah" as "tchallah" it caused me physical pain

Thanks to you from now on I’ll be calling ambulances “Wee woo wagons”

Jerusalem born and raised here: there are ambulances in the city, sorry to burst your bubble guys

Watching this from Jerusalem. The title had me confused but obviously you mean the Old City of Jerusalem. Otherwise, I think that St Louis French Hospital does not do medical emergencies, so patients are presumably taken to another hospital, knowing that Jerusalem's main one is located in the western suburbs, in a place called Ain Karem.

As a person who visited Jerusalem there are plenty of ambulances in the city itself, it’s only in the old city which is a very small part of Jerusalem that you don’t see many of them, but they’re just replaced by motorbikes which are widely splayed in the city

I’m in Hatzalab and I am glad you are spreading awareness for the great service we provide to all those who need

As an Israeli graduating in health care, a few things. The Saint Louis French Hospital is a hospice centre, not an emergency room most likely a patient would be taken to shaarey zedek hospital. MDA is not a part of the IDF, the IDF has it's own medical corps, paramedics, and ambulances The western wall is not only fully accessible by vehicle, but always has MDA stationed there at the ready The old city of Jerusalem is not the city centre, and it takes up less than 5% of the city. Of that small percent many main areas are vehicle accessible, and there are especially narrow ambulances that can traverse the streets, in addition to motorbikes, bicycle ambulances, and small car ambulances. Hatzala means saving, not sanctity of life Honestly the lack of research to the facts, basic pronunciation of common words, and not so subtle digs at the IDF, is insulting

I used to be something like what they’re doing, here in Denmark, called a "Heart Runner" When people call on grounds of a heart attack, the emergency services will send out a ping in short range of the place where it happened, and people like me get an emergency alert on their phone, telling where to go and where the nearest outside defibrillator is (we usually have a lot of them publicly available). It turns everyday citizens into first responders, and has helped save so many lives since it was introduced.

I always use these to be half entertained. Very nice one HAI, thank you for working hard to give these videos to us! Also “WeeWooWeeWooWeeWoo” And “Neighbor dying hilariously” Said in that voice that’s just so detached cracks me up 😂

There is a similar organization in some Swiss cantons called First Responders. This is also fully voluntary and can get up to several alarms per day. There is an add-on group in some cantons First Responder organizations called Rapid Responders which is exclusively actual medical doctors who volunteer to attend First Responder calls.

"many of its central streets are only suitable for travel by foot" wtf I love Jerusalem

Fun Fact, "Adom" in Hebrew means red. "Magen" means shield, so it's basically a red shield of David's, the Israeli equivalent to the world's Red Cross. Also, "Hatzala" means "Saving", so yeah, United Saving.

As a resident of Jerusalem, there are tooooons of traditional ambulances, even in the old city. But yes United Hatzalah does an amazing job at getting to people FAST.

the easiest solution is to have a firetruck give anyone having a medical emergency a glass of water

"Jesus sneezed." My favorite Bible passage. Also, this is actually a bit more than Half as Interesting.

1:20 actually Judaism isn't one of the three biggest religions so it's just the home to the two biggest (Christianity and Islam) (the third is Hinduism and Judaism is actually behind all 3 of them and Buddhism and Sikhism) 2:28 challah is pronounced with an h sound not a ch sound

@ 2:30 the CH in the bread of the aforementioned time is pronounced with a guttural h sound think the German exclamation ach. and if you can't pronounce that, a simple H would work just fine. also in hatzala the tz is pronounced as in the double z of pizza

3:17 „something funny like a catastrophic heart attack”

Israel also sends complete IDF field hospitals to any major disaster anywhere in the world. They can have a full hospital, staffed with all specialties, in less than 24 hours. They are always the first to respond to natural disasters. Earthquakes, Tsunamis, Building Collapses, Floods, Hurricanes, Fires, etc. They were here for Katrina, Harvey, and many more. Condo collapse in Miami. Israel IDF Medical Teams were there with specialized gear, techniques, and workers. They superimposed a building floor plan on top of the debris pile to concentrate rescue efforts where people might be trapped, rather than wasting time digging where no one would be. Before their arrival, rescue efforts were hectic and not effective.

I wanna know when the mascot Giraffeasinteresting will return... I hope nobody threw a brick at him.

Watching this while looking at an ambulance, in Jerusalem

To be clear this is only a very very small part of Jerusalem.

Wait, is Hatzala actually about the sanctity of human life? I thought it was Pikuach Nefesh. I’m a Hebrew native speaker and it’s the first time I’ve ever heard of it.

Okay. So the Western Wall is actually really close to the edge of the Old City, and could easily be accessed by ambulance. A better example would be the Church of the Holy Sepulchre

0:01 as opposed to WOOP WOOP, which as hip-hop scholars will recognise is the sound of the police.

WeWoWeWoWeWo -Half as interesting 2022

I remember always waving to the volunteer Hatzala members when I still worked as an EMT in NY

I actually had a medical emergency in jerusalem and Hatzalah came and took me to where they could pick me up with an ambulance.

The Italian Red Cross is also technically a part of the Italian Armed Forces.

Imagine if a simaler thing was done in a much larger scale, lots of people have done first aid courses or are surlf life savers who could act as volunteers via an app, if an emergency happens they can call one of these volunteers who are closer to act as even quicker emergency first aid.

When I felt off the bike and was hurting badly in Jerusalem a normal ambulance picked me up.(maybe it because it was a big bike race with 5000 people but I don’t think it was related )

'Non-profit ambulance sevices' 4:12

Please re-title to specify that this is *only* about the Old City in Jerusalem, not Jerusalem proper which has normal roads and streets that vehicles can drive on.

Maybe they could strap the patient to a big drone, and just fly them to the hospital

Your impersonation of an emergency vehicle at the very beginning of the video made me smile. We woo we woo we woo. And you said it with such dryness and lack of enthusiasm, quite the opposite of the enthusiasm of an ambulance.

I like how the woman in the stock footage lowered her glasses to see the the receipt better. 05:34

I never considered how the history of the area might affect emergency response. Very interesting.

I wonder how response times and survival rates in Jerusalem compare to other cities that do not use Hatzalah. I think we'd see some very surprising results.

Hey Sam! i loved the season finale of Tag Eur-it.

What a coincidence! I just started training as a MDA volunteer this week (for Tel Aviv not Jerusalem)

It's important to note that the old city of Jerusalem is only a small fraction of the whole city of Jerusalem, where nearly a million people love

I worked in the paramedic field and that leaves me with a lot of questions: Actually one of the most common actions is to immobilize serious injured. The emergency scooters are cool, but what if for example someone falls out of the window in between a neighborhood with narrow streets. He/She would have to be immobilized and put on a stretcher - so therefore can't be put on a scooter? Is he/she going to be carried to the next acces point?

Hatzalah operates in bulk part with private cars, at least here in the US and Canada. Volunteers running to emergencies are generally based on who is nearby. Regarding funding, some organizations will receive government assistance for equipment.

Thanks for that "enthusiasm" at the beginning^^

The existence of "the largest non-profit ambulance service" implies larger for-profit ambulance services... Americans, what the f is going on, do you need help, do I need to send someone to help out?

The Hatzalah system in America is amazing as well. A Hatzalah ambulance in NYC is usually faster than one from 911

2 things, the word hatzalah literally just means the act of saving/rescue, secondly the idf is a defense force the same way the department of defense is, nobody like calling the offensive force in their country

0:40 That's what I'm calling ambulances from now on 🤣🤣

The Isreali Defense Force, best known for its creative interpretation of the word "defense".

Love your videos. FYI challah is pronounced like haa-luh.

I answered and said, "If I have found favor in thy sight, O Lord, show this also to thy servant: whether after death, as soon as every one of us yields up his soul, we shall be kept in rest until those times come when thou wilt renew the creation, or whether we shall be tormented at once?" 76 He answered me and said, "I will show you that also, but do not be associated with those who have shown scorn, nor number yourself among those who are tormented. 77 For you have a treasure of works laid up with the Most High; but it will not be shown to you until the last times. 78 Now, concerning death, the teaching is: When the decisive decree has gone forth from the Most High that a man shall die, as the spirit leaves the body to return again to him who gave it, first of all it adores the glory of the Most High. 79 And if it is one of those who have shown scorn and have not kept the way of the Most High, and who have despised his law, and who have hated those who fear the Most High -- 80 such spirits shall not enter into habitations, but shall immediately wander about in torments, ever grieving and sad, in seven ways. 81 The first way, because they have scorned the law of the Most High. 82 The second way, because they cannot now make a good repentance that they may live. 83 The third way, they shall see the reward laid up for those who have trusted the covenants of the Most High. 84 The fourth way, they shall consider the torment laid up for themselves in the last days. 85 The fifth way, they shall see how the habitations of the others are guarded by angels in profound quiet. 86 The sixth way, they shall see how some of them will pass over into torments. 87 The seventh way, which is worse than all the ways that have been mentioned, because they shall utterly waste away in confusion and be consumed with shame, and shall wither with fear at seeing the glory of the Most High before whom they sinned while they were alive, and before whom they are to be judged in the last times. 88 "Now this is the order of those who have kept the ways of the Most High, when they shall be separated from their mortal body. 89 During the time that they lived in it, they laboriously served the Most High, and withstood danger every hour, that they might keep the law of the Lawgiver perfectly. 90 Therefore this is the teaching concerning them: 91 First of all, they shall see with great joy the glory of him who receives them, for they shall have rest in seven orders. 92 The first order, because they have striven with great effort to overcome the evil thought which was formed with them, that it might not lead them astray from life into death. 93 The second order, because they see the perplexity in which the souls of the unrighteous wander, and the punishment that awaits them. 94 The third order, they see the witness which he who formed them bears concerning them, that while they were alive they kept the law which was given them in trust. 95 The fourth order, they understand the rest which they now enjoy, being gathered into their chambers and guarded by angels in profound quiet, and the glory which awaits them in the last days. 96 The fifth order, they rejoice that they have now escaped what is corruptible, and shall inherit what is to come; and besides they see the straits and toil from which they have been delivered, and the spacious liberty which they are to receive and enjoy in immortality. 97 The sixth order, when it is shown to them how their face is to shine like the sun, and how they are to be made like the light of the stars, being incorruptible from then on. 98 The seventh order, which is greater than all that have been mentioned, because they shall rejoice with boldness, and shall be confident without confusion, and shall be glad without fear, for they hasten to behold the face of him whom they served in life and from whom they are to receive their reward when glorified. 99 This is the order of the souls of the righteous, as henceforth is announced; and the aforesaid are the ways of torment which those who would not give heed shall suffer hereafter." 100 I answered and said, "Will time therefore be given to the souls, after they have been separated from the bodies, to see what you have described to me?" 101 He said to me, "They shall have freedom for seven days, so that during these seven days they may see the things of which you have been told, and afterwards they shall be gathered in their habitations." 102 I answered and said, "If I have found favor in thy sight, show further to me, thy servant, whether on the day of judgment the righteous will be able to intercede for the unrighteous or to entreat the Most High for them, 103 fathers for sons or sons for parents, brothers for brothers, relatives for their kinsmen, or friends for those who are most dear." 104 He answered me and said, "Since you have found favor in my sight, I will show you this also. The day of judgment is decisive and displays to all the seal of truth. Just as now a father does not send his son, or a son his father, or a master his servant, or a friend his dearest friend, to be ill or sleep or eat or be healed in his stead, 105 so no one shall ever pray for another on that day, neither shall any one lay a burden on another; for then every one shall bear his own righteousness and unrighteousness." .....2 Esdras 7:75 ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

“Ripping up holy sites to put in wide streets will lead to a bad time” *laughs in Saudi Arabian*

Ironic, considering that the ambulance was invented during the Crusades, likely in Jerusalem, and by extension the Old City.

There are tons of ambulances all across Jerusalem. The Old City has smaller ambulances, and these bring patients to full sized ambulances on larger streets.

Also: againthere are 2 stationary ambulances in the old city of jerusalem, and also there are also first-response minicoopers (they're very cute, I've seen one in Me'ah She'arim) and bikes, as well as trained individuals with a trauma kit on them at all times

The pronunciations in this video are to die for! You may need to call Hatzolah 😂😂😂

Ebike Ambulances are the future we deserve

the ‘ch’ in ‘chala’ is pronounced like kh in Genghis Khan, but you probably pronounce that wrong too, the reason for it being ch instead of kh is Germany basically ‘Magen David Adom’ translates to ‘David’s Red Star(/shield’, if we go by direct translation) and ‘hatzalah’ just means ‘rescure’

0:40 I was dying at “wee woo wagon” 😂

“Why there are no ambulances” Answer:there are. But they just much smaller vehicles or cycles that fit on small roads.

As an Israeli, listening to this video's pronunciations made me wanna die lmao

Don’t show this vid to kanye west

'Wee-woo wagons.' Love it. From this day hence, they shall be referred to by no other name. 😁

"a group best known for their creative interpretation of the word 'defense'" oh you cancelled now

"The Israeli Defense Forces, a group known for their creative interpretation of the word 'defense'" this is the best line in the whole video

Me who grew up next to a hospital in Jerusalem: *oh really*

Everyone: Nice video Me: plays ambulance noises made by Sam at the beginning 10 times

I've seen Ambulances in Jerusalem. I specifically remember they were Chevy 1500 Express vans. I remember because seeing American style ambulances over there surprised me. There were a few of them parked just before the Western Wall with some police cars. Also, the ambulance @ 2:56 isn't in Jerusalem. That is Prague, Czech Republic!

1:22 Judaism isn't the third largest religion Hinduism is, Judaism is the worlds 9th, 10th, or 11th largest religion depending on whether or not you count Folk Religion and irreligious people.

how do you transport an incapacitated person on a motorcycle? I've been riding for a while and it was loose "dead" weight back there it would be a shitty ride. especially trying to come to a stop. do they wear the person in a harness like a backpack?

I wish you would make a video about the city of Jerusalem, it’s layout , just in general

when I woke up today I didn't know I desperately needed to hear Sam saying "WeeWoo Wagon". thank you.