17 doctors from Indiana, Ohio, Texas and New Jersey have been spending this week at the Western Galilee Hospital in Nahariya, Israel for the 6th Emergency Response Group (ERG) Course.

This program is jointly sponsored by Partnership with Israel, the Jewish Agency, Central Area Consortium Federations and the UJA Federation of Northern New Jersey, and also partners with the International School of Emergency management (ISCEM) and Wright State University of Dayton, Ohio.

The ERG course is a five day program designed for health care professionals to gain a working understanding of the extensive preparations for emergency mass casualty situations, utilizing the Western Galilee Hospital's emergency preparedness procedures.  Current ERG participants include physicians from a range of specialties, a nurse, and a hospital administrator.

The ERG course is accredited in the United States for 34.75 hours of category 1 CME credits.

The conference features lectures from both the American and Israeli doctors, tours of the regional emergency systems and culminates in a mass casualty drill, followed by an extensive evaluation.

Participants also toured the Israel Defense Forces northern border installations and visited some of the Jewish Agency projects in the region. 

In addition to sharing skills and information, the program builds important personal relationships between the medical professionals.

During the second Lebanon War,, ERG graduates were quick to volunteer to assist in Nahariya. While they were not needed, the support provided by these colleagues was invaluable.

Judith Jochnowitz
International Liaison, Western Galilee Hospital