Physicians attending a special briefing about Israel's Emergency Response Team held at Jewish Hospital's new Medical Center East at 10 a.m. on March 2 actually heard more than they bargained for - and were excited by what they learned. Lior Yaron, chair of the Midwestern Consortium of Partnership 2000 (P2K), provided a sweeping overview of the P2K program and Drs. Sandy Bidner and Ed Goodman, medical specialists from Dallas (one of our P2K partner communities) described their recent EMT experience in Israel.

Yaron, a native Israeli, began by saying "We give money and the Israelis give blood; we give support and they give courage." The P2K program began because the Jews in America and in Israel realized they could best solve mutual problems by working in tandem with one another. The Israelis especially need some assistance with social, cultural, spiritual, medical and economic issues.

He explained that the program divides the United States into 12 geographic regions and pairs them with regions in Israel. Louisville is one of 13 mid-western cities in a consortium that supports P2K projects in the Western Galilee region, which includes the cities of Nahariya and Acco in northern Israel. Roughly one-third of the money collected for the United Jewish Campaign goes to overseas need; five percent of that money goes to our P2K community. Programs such as the Emergency Response Team speak to the value of this interactive experience.

Britt Brockman, M.D., chair of the meeting introduced Bidner, an orthopedic surgeon, and Goodman, a specialist in infectious diseases, who were impressed with the number of doctors attending the event. "Dallas is a much larger community than Louisville," Goodman stated, "but you have many more people in this room than we had at our meeting in Dallas."

He went on to explain that when he and Bidner and their Texas colleagues considered ways they could help their peers in Israel, it became apparent that during wartime, when physicians working in Nahariya's up-to-date trauma hospital would go to the war front, others would have to be there to take their place.

Eight physicians from Texas signed up to help form an emergency response team that would fly to Israel within 72 hours notice and agree to spend a minimum of two weeks at the hospital. They conferred with our P2K partners and sought volunteers for the mission and on October 21, 14 physicians (including Brockman) and one paramedic signed on to spend a week in Nahariya preparing for a possible call-up in time of war.

Goodman explained that those who went to Israel in 1967 and 1973 had little training and found themselves in chaos. "We wanted to organize a team that would be better prepared to handle all eventualities," he said. Although many on the trip did not know one another prior to that time, he says they and their host families became friends. He showed a number of slides from the trip that evidenced the close cooperation between American and Israeli medical personnel.

Bidner called it "a unique experience that helps you make a connection with Israel." Participants experienced both practice and "real" drills, which are held on a monthly basis. They also observed roadways into the hospital that are outlined in different colors to show where the injured are to be taken for emergency medical care (i.e., follow the yellow line for pediatrics, etc.).

A high-ranking official of the Israeli Defense Force's Northern Command gave them a tour of the area and they visited a completely equipped hospital located in an underground shelter in Kiriyat Shimona - ready for emergency use.

"Not everything is serious though," Goodman laughed. "We each stayed with wonderful host families and had a great send-off party at the end of the week." One very positive result of the trip was the physicians learning that the Nahariya Hospital purchased walkie-talkies with which to communicate in time of war.

"Everyone in Israel has at least one or two cell phones," he said, "and if those lines were to become clogged, there needs to be a good communication plan in place." His own hospital in Dallas just spent $150,000 for similar devices - just in case.

The speakers concluded by announcing plans to take a second group of ERT volunteers to Israel from June 21-29. The purpose is to expand and educate the physician base. Doctors' spouses are encouraged to accompany them on the trip and special programming will be provided for them.

A question and answer period followed, which provided some interesting sidelines. The flight on June 21 will leave late Saturday evening and get into Israel by mid-afternoon Sunday. Language is not a problem since everyone in Israel speaks English. Physicians will basically be observers so licensure and malpractice insurance are not issues. The Israelis are very protective of program participants - their safety is of primary importance. Those on the trip were caught up in the moment and did not feel threatened.

The Federation will handle all travel arrangements for the June mission. For more information on the Emergency Response Team, please call Sara Wagner, Federation associate executive director, 451-8840 or email her at skleinwag@aol.com.

Adar II 5763 - March 2003