כל המציל נפש אחת כאילו קיים עולם מלא .
Sudden cardiac arrest is the leading cause of sudden death in adults.
Keren Yosef provides emergency medical personnel with automatic external defibrillators so if needed, an electric shock can be given as soon as possible in those crucial moments, even before the arrival of an ambulance.
In most of these cases, when cardiac arrest occurs, the electrical activity of the heart does not cease immediately but goes into a situation called ‘ventricular fibrillation’, or VF; in this case while the heart is not pumping blood to the body, the heart quivers ineffectively as many parts of the heart’s independent electrical system try to start the heat beating again. In many cases, an electric shock is given AT THIS POINT can shut down the independent the ineffective electrical site and “jump start” the main pacemaker of the heart, allowing it to take over and the heart to start beating again. The heart must be defibrillated quickly, because a victim’s chance of surviving drops by seven to ten percent for every minute a normal heartbeat isn’t restored.
If a shock is not given in this small window of time the heart will stop quivering and all electrical activity will stop. Once this happens, the person cannot be revived even with the most advanced medical care.
What is an AED?
An AED, or an automatic external defibrillator, is a lightweight, portable device that delivers an electric shock through the chest wall to the heart for someone suffering from sudden cardiac arrest. An AED has built-in computers that check the heart rhythm, determine if defibrillation is needed and if indicated - gives a shock.
AEDS FOR FIRST-RESPONSE EMTS
TESTIMONIALS
"Recently, on a Shabbat night, I got called to a gentleman who had collapsed in the street. I gave him three shocks with the defibrillator I received from Keren Yosef… today this man is alive, walking around and totally back to himself!"
-Yehuda Zicherman, EMT, Beit Shemesh
"I received an emergency call to a man having chest pain in Beit Shemesh. Arriving first on the scene I found a 45 year old man lying unconscious on the floor, he wasn’t breathing and he didn’t have a pulse. I started CPR and used the AED that Keren Yosef had given me, which gave the victim four or five shocks. Keren Yosef not only provided me with this lifesaving machine – merely hours after this CPR they contacted me so they could provide me with a new AED battery and replace the AED pads without me even having to ask, so I could go back on call immediately with working equipment. A big Yishar Koach to Keren Yosef and thank you from us, the EMTs, and from all of Beit Shemesh residents whom we serve"
- Avraham Rosenfeld, EMT, Tzevet Hatzalah Beit Shemesh
"I responded to a call to someone having chest pain in Moshav Yishi, when I arrived the man had already collapsed. We started CPR and I used this defibrillator (donated by Keren Yosef), to shock his heart. He needed a few shocks, but we saved his life I just went to visit him in the hospital. Thank you Keren Yosef, from myself and from the patient whose life was saved with your defibrillator!
Keren Yosef, you are our partners, you give us the strength - in your merit we are saving lives!"
-Shimon Lieberman, EMT, Ramat Beit Shemesh
"Thank you, Keren Yosef! May you be healthy and continue doing mitzvot!"
-M., Moshav Yishi, survivor of cardiac-arrest whose life was saved with a Keren Yosef AED
"Over the five years I've been using this machine I've achieved ROSC - that's 'return of spontanious circulation', getting a pulse back with effective blood flow to a person's heart and brain - at least three time, in the merit of this machine that we've recieved from them. Yishar Koach and good work, guys!"
-Yona Samber, paramedic, Ramat Beit Shemesh
