Does Hatzolah provide ALS?

[OoO 24]

Does Hatzolah work with FDNY or another agency to provide ALS to their patients or is it a strictly BLS only service?

I have heard all of the stories about Hatzolah and I fully understand their negative reputation in the EMS community - please, let's not go there. My elderly Jewish grandmother feels most comfortable calling this agency when she needs help. She has always been very satisfied with the care she has received from them and takes comfort in receiving care from individuals with her background and whom she can relate to. Despite all the negative things I have seen and read I though that this mental comfort for her was important and never raised any concern. However, today I was thinking about whether or not they can provide ALS care. If not, this would certainly be enough of a concern that I would suggest to her that they would not be able to provide the most appropriate care for her and that she should call 911.

[firedude 985]

Hatzolah offers ALS and BLS in NYC

Edited October 10, 2012 by firedude

[Disaster_Guy 96]

To answer your question: every community Hatzalah is different. National and international chapters are not connected in any real way. All developed Hatzalahs have at least BLS capabilities. I'm sure in the more advanced chapters, ALS is certainly an option. The usual policy is that if they do not get enough of the right response in a minute or so from their members they call 911.

Some of you may find this page of interest: https://www.facebook...tzolahWorldwide

[sympathomedic 383]

Going back about 25 years there was a situation where a Hotzolah crew ended up at a fire in NYC right as a fireman was removed from the fire building in at least respriratory arrest if not full arrest. Personell on the ambulance placed an ET tube. At ED arrival the tube was revealed to be in the stomach. The fireman died. Much was made of this event- that (remember 25 years ago) Hotzolah was doing ALS while not a NYC credentialed agency. I recall Hotzolah said they had NY STATE credentials and that was good enough. That is all I recall, other than the polital friends of this group seemed to squash any attempt to get them disciplined for failure to place nice in the sandbox.

All this is old information. I would think the information needed in the original post must be online somewhere.

[RWC130 594]

One of the very first things OoO posted is this:

I have heard all of the stories about Hatzolah and I fully understand their negative reputation in the EMS community - please, let's not go there.

And.... We did!

As easy as it is to bash an agency or one of it's members let's not forget

that (errors/mistakes/incidents) also happen in Westchester County.

I can name a few over the years BUT I WON'T.

Let's be EMS Professionals!

Hatzolah EMS does have ALS and BLS units.

[OoO 24]

Thanks everyone, I was refetring to their NYC branch specifically.

[nycemt728 49]

Yes they offer ALS in NYC, but as stated, each division is different. Some divisions will turf off to the private(s) or as a last resort call 911.