Israeli Emergency Response Group Expands Activities to Guatemala

For from Zion shall come forth…emergency medicine! An Israeli volunteer organization is training EMTs in Guatemala.

An Israeli emergency organization is expanding its activities to another location on the map, this time in Guatemala.

The ZAKA International Rescue Unit has begun training Guatemalan emergency services in the well-tested Israeli methods of operation.

Last week, ZAKA International Rescue Unit Chief Officer Mati Goldstein, together with Rabbi Joseph Garmon of the Guatemala Jewish community and representatives Israel Embassy representatives, held a series of meetings with Guatemalan government agencies, the Defense Ministry, Home Front Command and Fire Services, as well as with police and emergency responders in order to begin a series of professional training sessions.

Guatemala is facing considerable challenges in the emergency field and is looking to train its first responders in a number of different disciplines, in full cooperation with ZAKA.

This is a result of ZAKA’s unparalleled experience and expertise in mass-casualty incidents over the last two decades and its status as a UN-recognized international humanitarian volunteer organization.

ZAKA will be training government agencies, Home Front Command, emergency first responders and Jewish communities throughout Guatemala.

The Israeli network also held meetings with Cadena, the local Jewish rescue organization, in order to ensure collaboration and cooperation for the benefit of the Guatemalan Jewish community as well as for Israel’s public diplomacy efforts in the region.

ZAKA has trained Jewish communities and official agencies around the globe.

Israel’s Magen David Adom (MDA) has similar programs and lends its expertise to emergency agencies around the world.

By: United with Israel Staff