MDA boosted by NSW support
At a Magen David Adom Conference in Israel last month, a record 21 medicycles and an ambulance were dedicated on behalf of the NSW community.
AT the International Magen David Adom (MDA) Conference in Israel last month, a record 21 medicycles and an ambulance were dedicated on behalf of the NSW community.
Ten medicycles were donated from individual members of the community and the other 11 units were dedicated by the community in general. Witnessing the dedication were MDA NSW president Roland Nagel, vice-president Tony Ziegler and board member Melissa McCurdie.
“Through the dedication of the 21 medicycles and ambulance, the bond between the local community and the State of Israel has been strengthened and will enable MDA’s paramedics and volunteers to attend to any emergency medical situation in a more timely and efficient manner, thereby helping to save lives,” Nagel told The AJN.
Meanwhile, MDA NSW is gearing up for an exciting 2017 with the organisation entitled to receive tax-deductible gifts from January 1, and set to appoint a CEO for the first time. “We are looking forward to a wonderful 2017 with the tax deductibility and the impending appointment of a CEO, both indicative of our growth and the community’s support of our quest to help MDA in Israel to save lives,” Nagel said.
In addition to the medicycle dedication, another piece of history was created at the conference with a groundbreaking ceremony for MDA’s new underground blood bank in Ramle, which will help to secure the country’s blood supply in case of attacks or natural disaster.
The new facility will be able to store 400,000 pints of blood – one third greater capacity than MDA’s current facility in Ramat Gan – and will be able to withstand a missile attack or an earthquake.
Nagel said this is MDA’s “most significant” construction project in its history, and it is “so momentous to be part of it”.
“When the current blood bank at Tel Hashomer was built in 1987, 175,000 units of blood were processed for Israel’s population of 4.4 million,” he said.
“Since that time, Israel’s population has increased substantially, including the migration of over one million people from Russia, so that today 400,000 units of blood are processed for Israel’s 8.5 million residents. By 2030, Israel’s population is estimated at 10 million, requiring the processing of 500,000 blood units.”
In addition, Nagel noted that Hamas and Hezbollah rockets now have the capacity to reach any part of Israel with devastating consequences for Israel’s crucial blood supply.
“The underground processing and storage of blood in the new blood bank will keep these essential activities out of harm’s way.”
EVAN ZLATKIS
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