(Courtesy of Hatzalah) Hatzalah of MetroWest (formerly Hatzalah of West Orange & Livingston) proudly announces its formal expansion into Morristown and the growth of its fleet in West Orange and Livingston.
Founded in September 2021, with a primary focus on West Orange and Livingston, Hatzalah has provided the highest quality emergency medical care to people, regardless of race, religion or ethnicity, and at no cost. Operating 24/7/365, the all-volunteer organization is composed of 25 emergency dispatchers, 34 EMTs, two ambulances, two emergency response vehicles, and has not missed a single call for help.
Hatzalah has partnered closely with local municipalities by actively participating in “mutual aid,” in which Hatzalah’s volunteers and ambulances respond to 911 calls.
Shael Sokolowski, one of Hatzalah of MetroWest’s founding coordinators, noted: “It’s been humbling to see the indelible impact that our volunteers have had on the lives—quite literally—of more than 400 individuals who called us in their time of need. Emergency calls are never transactional for us; our responders follow up and advocate for every patient, long after we transfer care to ER staff.”
Hatzalah has also responded into a number of adjacent communities in Essex and Morris counties, including Caldwell, East Hanover, East Orange, Fairfield, Florham Park, Irvington, Montclair, Newark, Parsippany, Roseland, South Orange, Springfield, Verona, West Caldwell and Whippany.
For Morristown, the availability of the nearby “full-service” Hatzalah provided ad-hoc support to R’ Feivish Rosenberg, a long-time EMT in Morristown, who has cared for countless families since moving to the area. The Morristown community includes not just the Rabbinical College of America, but thriving family neighborhoods and an active summer camp.
Recognizing the growing demand for a dedicated service, talks began with Hatzalah and community leaders to prepare for launch. “As the yeshiva and surrounding community have b”H grown over the past decade, so has demand for a dedicated Hatzalah, and we are blessed to launch a branch of our own,” said Rabbi Moshe Herson, dean of the RCA.
“We’re grateful that Feivish built a strong foundation for volunteer response and are excited that he will continue to provide care and mentorship through Hatzalah of MetroWest’s newly formed Morristown division,” said Ilan Rosenrauch, Hatzalah of MetroWest coordinator, adding,
“MetroWest will feel familiar to those who reside in our local response areas within Essex and Morris counties, and beyond.”
In addition to their lifesaving emergency services, Hatzalah will also offer free CPR and first aid training to the entire community on an ongoing basis
Given Hatzalah’s geographic reach, there was a clear need to expand the fleet to include emergency response vehicles (ERVs) to ensure that its EMTs can continue to reach patients in minutes. Each vehicle carries a full complement of equipment, from lifesaving medications to automated CPR chest-compression devices. The ERVs also allow Hatzalah to improve its response in inclement weather.
Dov Brafman, CEO of Life Ride and Life Home Care, donated the first vehicle, a 2022 Ford Explorer equipped with an advanced safety and warning package. Brafman said, “Life is a healthcare company based in Livingston, which services the surrounding areas. One of our key priorities is to give back to the community, however we can. Hatzalah’s values, purpose and focus are aligned with ours and it’s a privilege to support the organization and community through this lifesaving gift.”
Andrea and Bryan Bier of West Orange donated the second, identically equipped vehicle. “We are thrilled to be able to support new and improved ways of saving lives in our community,” they said. “We hope that by doing so, we make our parents proud.”
Hatzalah also upgraded its ambulances to enhance patient care and better support provider safety through the purchase of two Stryker moving devices, following a generous gift from an anonymous community donor. These cots allow EMTs to meet each patient where they are.
Matthew Lipman, a Hatzalah of MetroWest coordinator explained: “Our patients are seldom in the ‘best’ position when we arrive. The ability to raise and lower our stretcher at the push of the button allows for a smoother and safer transfer. It also reduces the load that our volunteers carry whenever patients are loaded and unloaded from the ambulance. This helps us to de-risk a key driver of disability in EMS.”
Hatzalah also added a second Defibtech Lifeline ARM to its fleet, thanks to the generosity of Barbara Berger and her children Neeli Margolis and Amos Berger. The device was donated in memory of Dr. Yitzhak Berger, a urologist who dedicated his life to caring for others, with great compassion.
This automated device allows Hatzalah’s EMTs to deliver consistent and high-quality compressions at every point of a cardiac arrest. This is particularly important when moving the patient from their home to the stretcher, from the stretcher to the ambulance, while en route to the hospital, and when transferring the patient to the hospital. “The device truly improves patient outcomes in their most vulnerable moment,” added Joshua Commer, one of Hatzalah’s coordinators.
The emergency number for Hatzalah of MetroWest is 973-604-4000.
For more information, visit www.hatzalahmetrowest.org
