{"id":1945,"date":"2022-02-24T19:34:56","date_gmt":"2022-02-25T00:34:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thevoiceoflakewood.com\/?p=1945"},"modified":"2022-02-24T19:34:56","modified_gmt":"2022-02-25T00:34:56","slug":"hatzolah","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thevoiceoflakewood.com\/hatzolah\/","title":{"rendered":"Hatzolah"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Hatzolah: Our 120-Second Heroes<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When an emergency happens, we dial their number.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our fingers tremble with each digit\u20267-3-2-3-7-0-3-6-0-0.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every second counts\u2014all 120 of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They stop mid-everything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They run faster than their feet can carry them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The reassuring sounds of sirens grow louder; the flashing lights herald their arrival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In no time, they appear, sooner than expected and exactly when needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 120 seconds, they are there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There in the nick of time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There to save a life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hatzolah: our 120-second heroes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reassuring voices<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As I was nonchalantly yet cautiously driving along the road, I suddenly saw headlights coming out of nowhere. The next thing I knew, I heard a loud crash and then a deafening silence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The stillness didn\u2019t last long; I quickly came to my senses and realized that my worst nightmare was now reality: I was trapped in an upside-down vehicle, and my baby was shrieking from the back seat. I was stuck; I could not move an inch. I could not possibly get to my baby to see if my baby was okay. I could not extract my phone to call for help. I couldn\u2019t see a thing that was going on around me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wallowing in the depths of my despair and terror, I suddenly heard a voice. \u201cDon\u2019t worry, we\u2019re gonna get you out of here. We got the call, and we were right nearby. We\u2019re here; you\u2019re safe now, and your baby is fine.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was the most comforting and reassuring thing I could have heard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Hatzolah members\u2019 voices continued to guide me through the process and make sure my baby and I were okay. \u201cThe extraction process is noisy,\u201d they warned me, \u201cbut we\u2019ve got this covered. Stay calm and try to relax.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A few minutes later, it was over\u2014in a good way. As I was sitting in the ambulance, getting ready to head to the hospital to check things out, the doors opened and a Hatzolah member handed me my baby wrapped in a blanket\u2014warm, cozy, and smiling, without a scratch. The tears flowed freely as I realized what had just happened. My gratitude to Hashem overflowed as I realized that Hatzolah was there within 120 seconds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the nick of time<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was late Motza\u2019ei Shabbos, just after a beautiful aufruf <\/em>and kiddush<\/em> for ours son, celebrated together with the entire family. As we were gathering the last items from the car, my husband suddenly clutched his chest and mumbled that he wasn\u2019t feeling well. I followed him as he heading inside to get a drink of water, but before he could even make it to the fridge, he collapsed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I froze for a panicked, interminable second, then speedily dialed Hatzolah, my hands trembling as jumbled thoughts invaded my mind. What\u2019s going to be? The chasunah is on Wednesday! How\u2019s the simchah going to turn out?<\/em> But before I could picture the worst, I already heard the sirens looming near, reassuring me that Hatzolah was arriving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A whirlwind of activity followed as EMTs, followed by paramedics, worked to revive my husband. And then the most frightening but blessed sounds filled the room as my husband\u2019s heart was shocked to life. Moments later, sirens blared as we were rushed to the hospital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The next 24 hours were a blur of doctors, nurses, and emergency surgery during which I finally had a few minutes to sit in the waiting room and say Tehillim. After a short while, a doctor came in and said the words I\u2019d been hoping and praying for: \u201cYour husband is going to be alright. Had Hatzolah come even a split second later, the outcome might not have been the same.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thinking back to those 120 seconds of debilitating panic and terror, I realize they were really 120 seconds of saving a life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Watching my husband and son dance at the wedding just a few days later, my tears flowing freely as I kept whispering over and over, \u201cBaruch Hashem<\/em>, chasdei Hashem<\/em>! What would we do without Hatzolah?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now it\u2019s your turn<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What can you do in 120 seconds?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You don\u2019t have to run. And it won\u2019t take too much time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are you up for the challenge?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cExpress\u201d your support<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In less than 120 seconds you can enter the Hatzolah auction and not only win some amazing prizes, but show your appreciation for what our members do every day, 365 days a year, seven days a week\u2014in just 120 seconds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You, too, can save a life in 120 seconds.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our dedicated Hatzolah volunteers run busy lives, with families and businesses pulling them in all directions. But when their radio sounds, they drop whatever they\u2019re doing and speed to the rescue of someone in need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this field, a few minutes can be a matter of life and death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This year\u2019s fantastic auction is celebrating the rapid response of our Hatzolah heroes, who act with awesome alacrity as they hurry to save the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n