This year again, SSF has been active on 5 types of missions: emergency missions, medical assistance missions, providing training and gear, social work and psychological help, and search and rescue missions. What follows is a glimpse into the missions SSF carried out this year.
EMERGENCY MISSION
MOZAMBIQUE
SSF teams from Israel and South Africa joined a Gift of the Givers team in Mozambique to help the population after the cyclone hit. They treated 1,500 people, they gave away 15 tons of food and water, and they built 10 sanitation facilities. They also helped 20 women deliver their babies.
March 2019
ALBANIA
An SSF team with one doctor, 1 paramedic, 3 rescuers, 1 nurse and 1 logistician was dispatched to Thumanë, Albania, after the magnitude 6.4 earthquake that hit Albania. Over 50 people died, hundreds were injured and thousands lost their homes. SSF provided help, medical care and support to the best of its abilities. During this 5-day mission, they were able to treat 272 people.
Dicember 2019
MEDICAL ASSISTANCE MISSION
This year, SSF conducted several one-off medical assistance missions to help communities that have little to no access to medical care, in the following countries: Ethiopia (2 missions), Burkina Faso (2 missions) and Mali (2 missions). Over 1,520 people were treated. A major mission is happening as we speak in Burkina Faso which is facing a severe humanitarian crisis. The mission is happening in the Kongussi area where refugees number in the thousands.
Dicember 2019
In the Palestinian Territories, for the past 2 years, SSF has been conducting a medical assistance mission to help Palestinian children with severe diseases. This year, 4 new children have been added to the roster, and 2 more will soon be.
PROVIDING TRAINING AND GEAR
Throughout the year, SSF has been working with students to teach them first aid or so they become certified rescuers. The latter are allowed to enroll in advanced clinics using state-of-the-art technology.
SSF conducted First Aid trainings:
- in Haiti (1,900 students trained in 10 schools)
- In Ethiopia (80 students, 43 doctors). 10 First Aid kits given away.
- In Burkina Faso (40 volunteers and health auxiliaries)
- In Nepal (20 interns trained)
- In the Ukraine (25 Tchernivtsi PD officers trained and equipped with First Aid kits.
May 2019
January 2019
In Israel, SSF conducts advanced clinics for experienced rescuers with the Mobile Simulation Unit, or MSU. 220 simulation drills were conducted this year, for approximately 3,300 trainees. A major disaster simulation drill was conducted for 150 rescuers hailing from the US, Belgium and Argentina; the drill covered Organizing team work, Evacuating the injured, Giving first aid. In 2019, 2,800 people received First Aid training
Mai 2019
Equipment-wise, 3 bimbulances (miniature electric rescue cars) are now operational. These mini ambulances can manage narrow passages and they can hold 2 rescuers.
- In the Palestinian Territories
SSF conducted a First Aid training session for 90 Palestinian youth and college students, then gave away 9 advanced First Aid kits to Palestinian doctors.
The Palestinian National Security Force (that reports to the Palestinian Authority) acknowledged SSF expertise in rescue drills with the Mobile Simulation Unit, and they reached out to SSF. PNSF leveraged SSF’s expertise and experience to create an emergency rescue simulation facility that will be used by Palestinian rescuers. The facility will be operational in February of 2020.
August 2019
SSF strives to give rescuers throughout the world the means to receive training and equipment so they can help and save lives. This year, so far, 125 new First Aid kits with defibrillators have been given away to our teams all over the world. As of today, SSF boasts 1,496 equipped rescuers in the world.
SOCIAL WORK AND PSYCHOLOGICAL HELP PROGRAM
In Israel, SSF manages 15 facilities where 1,200 children living near the Gaza Strip can go after their school day. The facilities provide First Aid training –which is their raison d’être-, help with homework and psychological help.
SSF-ADELIS Therapy Farm provides zootherapy that helps people with PTSD through animal mediation. Every month, some 150 children, 50 teenagers and 20 adults benefit from zootherapy at the Farm..
SEARCH AND RESCUE
In Haiti, CSPV, SSF’s local partner, provides First Aid during the processions in Port au Prince.
In Israel, SSF volunteers have to help on a daily basis because of the ongoing security issues. SSF’s 920 Israel-based equipped rescuers are on call on a 24/7 basis so they can help as needed. Every rescuer provides First Aid 5 times a month on average.
Last May, 40 rescuers were
called on in the South of Israel; they helped 50 injured people. SSF also
conducted classes and First Aid trainings in the education facilities, and
zootherapy sessions for 85 children with PTSD.
225 basic First Aid kits were given away to Search and Rescue managers.
Last November, during the “rocket rain,” SSF dispatched dozens of rescuers to the South of Israel as a backup to security and rescue teams. They set up several emergency field units to best meet the needs in the field.
Finally, in the Ukraine, SSF was there to help the 80,000 pilgrims who traveled to Uman on Rosh Hashanah. SSF volunteers set up a field clinic with an ambulance, and they treated 2,525 people over 4 days.
In 2019, the 1,496 equipped SSF rescuers in the world conducted 43,200 rescue operations in all 5 areas!
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A big hurrah for our tireless volunteers!
A big THANK YOU! to our faithful donors who give SSF the means to act!