If your son volunteers for hatzalah

Log in / Sign Up

List of Forums + New Post Recipe Box Usergroups Following My Posts Bookmarks

Private Messages Advanced Search Rules New User Guide FAQ Advertise Contact Us

Forum -> Parenting our children -> Teenagers and Older children

1 2 Next

View latest: 24h 48h 72h

amother

Sun, May 14 2023, 11:12 pm

At what age did he start? And what did he do to "prepare" for it? At what age did he start taking EMT-type classes, etc.?

I have a teenage son who is a go-getter. He has ADHD, very well controlled right now, but loves volunteering in ways that force him to work REALLY hard (shlepping things, etc.). He thrives on action and would not be scared of blood, injuries, things like that at all. I think that Hatzalah would be a great way to channel some of his strengths.

Where should he start? He's young now, and being a lifeguard is definitely not in his future (remember, ADHD? he would not make a good lifeguard and he knows it), so he's never even taken a CPR class. He's had several yeshivish-type businesses to earn money over bein hazmanim, and I know he'd be able to throw himself into this if he were interested, which I'm almost sure he would be. But before I suggest it to him, I want to make sure that this is something he can actually take steps towards at this age.

amother

Sapphire

Sun, May 14 2023, 11:13 pm

Where do you live? Because I some locations they don’t accept single guys and generally make it hard to get in

amother

DarkCyan

Sun, May 14 2023, 11:18 pm

I don’t know the answer to your question but I do know that CPR certification is a prerequisite to taking an EMT course

Maybe he should volunteer for Chaveirim

amother

cornflower

Sun, May 14 2023, 11:18 pm

I'm not sure Hatzolah is the right organization for this...
Maybe reach out to chaveirim and see if they need volunteers to do some of the manual labor for them.
Maybe he can help tomchei shabbos with their boxes etc.

Rappel

Sun, May 14 2023, 11:23 pm

I'm an EMS volunteer, though not hatzala. Yes, ADHD tends to jump into this like a duck into water. Many of the top brass of MDA say that EMS work has actually helped them manage their ADD tendencies - when it's life or death, you have to focus.

Look up the laws in your local state - a quick Google search will tell you what age teens can volunteer in your area. And then go for it. If not hatzala, then many religious teens volunteer with other ambulance corps - he would not be the only Jew there by far

amother

NeonGreen

Sun, May 14 2023, 11:45 pm

In most locations, hatzolah does not accept single guys, definitely not teenagers.
Maybe he can join the local EMS (though I doubt they accept teenagers either) or local chaveirim.

Rappel

Sun, May 14 2023, 11:48 pm

amother NeonGreen wrote:

In most locations, hatzolah does not accept single guys, definitely not teenagers.
Maybe he can join the local EMS (though I doubt they accept teenagers either) or local chaveirim.

In NY/NJ, most EMS corps take teenage volunteers.

In Israel, highschoolers can become First Aid Providers, and ride MDA ambulances for experience. They have a few safety limitations (can't go out to a car accident in theory, can't open an IV line) but otherwise provide care just like any EMT

amother

NeonGreen

Mon, May 15 2023, 12:05 am

Rappel wrote:

I think they take teenaged volunteers for jobs around the station, not to actually go to emergency calls. (Afaik)

mha3484

Mon, May 15 2023, 12:41 am

A highschool in my city has this program. I think its great.

https://www.hatzolah.co.za/con.....eroes

Iymnok

Mon, May 15 2023, 12:51 am

If such a course is offered for his age, he should take it. I think the minimum age in some places is 16.

amother

Tiffanyblue

Mon, May 15 2023, 1:13 am

Let him start by taking a cpr course and then proceed to taking an emt course. Check the age requirement in your area. Cpr can def be given to young teens. See how he does. He can also volunteer in a nursing home or hospital to get the feel

Rappel

Mon, May 15 2023, 1:17 am

amother NeonGreen wrote:

I think they take teenaged volunteers for jobs around the station, not to actually go to emergency calls. (Afaik)

Again, depends where. I had friends in NJ whom volunteered on ambulances when they were still in high school.

Roots

Mon, May 15 2023, 2:04 am

in israel:
my neice is in 12th grade and has been volunteering in MDA for a year now
she definitely rides on ambulances and comes onto scenes
when I gave birth 4 years ago and 1.5 yrs ago I rode an ambulance I had 2 teen volunteers in the back asking me questions about contractions etc and discussing possible names lol
my 10th grade neice in modiin is now staring to learn and take a MDA course

amother

Mon, May 15 2023, 10:58 am

amother Sapphire wrote:

Where do you live? Because I some locations they don’t accept single guys and generally make it hard to get in

Baltimore.

I think I didn't phrase my question clearly. I'm not looking for him to work for Hatzalah at this moment. I guess I'm asking whether those who joined Hatzalah in their twenties, for example, did anything to lead them in that direction as a teen. It's something that I could see him really excelling in, and I'd like to lead him to that path to see whether it's something that he's good at.

I don't think I'd feel comfortable with him being in a non-frum EMT environment at this point. Maybe when he's older.

I just want to know whether I can tell him at age 15 that it could be a goal he could try for in the next couple of years, or whether I should wait until he's nearing 20 or older before suggesting he starts. You know ADHD, the excitement will wear off if it's for a goal that's years away...

chick567

Mon, May 15 2023, 11:11 am

You can and should file it away in the back of your head as something he can do when he's older. It sounds like it would be good for him.
However you need to know that hatzoloa is not a job, you dont get paid for it.
Yes he can join hatzola at some point, but right now you dont need to do anything to help him towards it. What you should focus on is finding what money making area his strengths can be used for, and focus him in that direction. he can join hatzola at any time, after taking a course. it doesnt take tons of years of prep work.

if you think he can do this type of work as a job, then look into what an EMT course would require, and start on those prerequisites.

amother

Moonstone

Mon, May 15 2023, 11:28 am

amother OP wrote:

It was in my brothers blood since he was 9. From that age he had a first aide kit and he and he would read up about first aide . He would clean wounds and bandage the neighbors kids who got hurt while playing. As he got older his first aide kit expanded and became more sophisticated. He also became close to two local Hatzolah members and learned a lot from watching them and assisting them. He also volunteered at the Hatzolah garage and helped load the ambulances with supplies , took inventory etc.
This evolved . He learned lifeguarding as a young teen and was a lifeguard in camp. Later he became the first aide responder in camp . At 18 he went to the local community college to get his EMT license and he did internship in the ER as part of the course . All along he was affiliated with the local Hatzolah. He had a Hatzolah radio scanner and would go on calls. (In those days Hatzolah wasn’t so political and he was single and was in Hatzola) . Later on he went to school to become a paramedic. He is a Hatzolah volunteer for decades and now also works for an ambulance company on legal holidays when most people don’t want to work.

amother

Mon, May 15 2023, 11:45 am

Thank you Moonstone! Does he work in a medical field now to, other than on the off days?

amother

Snapdragon

Mon, May 15 2023, 12:48 pm

Medical school maybe?
My brother is an excellent dr... he used to be a hyperactive child, now he focus all his energy in attending ppl during long shifts... I think he started as a volunteer at the hospital he works now....he used to be part of transport....

amother

Blue

Mon, May 15 2023, 1:05 pm

I know a kid like this that became an EMT and I think it’s great for him. He volunteers for other EMS corps in towns around us, not Hatzoloh. Where he is there are other Jewish people there but you’d have to be comfortable with a mixed envirorment for him.

amother

Rose

Mon, May 15 2023, 1:20 pm

amother OP wrote:

Im not sure about Baltimore but in most places its actually very hard to get in, with a waiting list that can take years, it can be very discouraging.
Hatzulah in the US generally does not provide recourses to or except more volunteers then absolutely necessary, unlike Israel for example, in order to lower the cost and liability. Because of this, its really hard to get in. He can definitely start now, in Brooklyn there are many EMT courses that I think can also be joined in by zoom. He would need to complete training hours though, which would involve going along with an EMT shift for many hours. but he can complete the learning part first and then proceed to the training when he's ready. Its allot of work, allot of knowledge, he needs to be passionate about it, especially with ADHD, if he will successfully complete the course and training hours. There are then some other ways to use the license while waiting to be excepted at Hatzulah, which can take years. He can work at special needs/medical needs school and camp, as a shaddow to a medically fragile child etc. I do know many young men who work for a neighborhood EMT or through a hospital ambulance service. either way, completing the training takes many months. you can start by buying or borrowing the books needed for the course and seeing if he has interest in completing it, he would either way need to read through the books cover to cover and memorize most of it to get through the training. audio book is also available.

Page 1 of 2

1 2 Next