Catskills Hatzalah has already responded to hundreds upon hundreds of emergency calls this summer, answering life-threatening emergencies around the clock as another busy vacation season continues. From drowning rescues and serious motor vehicle crashes to cardiac arrests, heart attacks, strokes, choking emergencies, critical trauma cases, and countless other urgent medical situations, more than 450 volunteer EMTs and paramedics have been on constant alert, saving lives every single day.

Now, as call volume reaches unprecedented levels, Catskills Hatzalah is turning to the very community it protects for help. The organization is asking residents, bungalow colony members, campers, and visitors to support its annual fundraising campaign, saying community donations are essential to keep its ambulances staffed, equipped, and ready to respond to the next emergency.

Now, they need you!

The dramatic increase in emergency calls has placed tremendous demands on Catskills Hatzalah’s resources. Its fleet of 21 ambulances is operating virtually nonstop, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with volunteers responding within seconds whenever a call for help comes in.

What began in 1984 with a small group of volunteers providing emergency medical services to a few hundred families vacationing in the Fallsburg area has grown into one of the region’s largest volunteer emergency medical organizations. Today, Catskills Hatzalah safeguards more than 1,000 bungalow colonies, summer camps, hotels, and year-round communities, providing emergency care to hundreds of thousands of residents and visitors throughout the Catskills.

CLICK HERE TO HELP HATZALAH!

Unlike many people realize, Catskills Hatzalah operates independently and receives no financial support from other Hatzalah divisions or government agencies. Every ambulance, lifesaving device, radio system, station, and piece of medical equipment is funded almost entirely through community donations.

The organization currently operates six state-of-the-art ambulance garages. Its 21 ambulances cover more than 1,000 square miles—an area larger than all five boroughs of New York City combined—making it one of the largest geographic emergency response systems of any Hatzalah division.

Catskills Hatzalah also offers capabilities that many may not be aware of. Patients are transported to the hospital best suited for their medical needs, even when that requires a trip to New York City. The organization also operates the only fully equipped Hatzalah search-and-rescue team, providing critical assistance during missing person searches and wilderness emergencies.

Whether you have children in camp, spend weekends in the Catskills, vacation there during the summer, or live in the region year-round, Catskills Hatzalah is always just a phone call away—ready to respond at any hour of the day or night.

As emergency calls continue to climb, Hatzalah officials say the community’s support is more important than ever. Every donation helps keep ambulances on the road, volunteers equipped with lifesaving tools, and emergency crews ready to answer the next call.

To support Catskills Hatzalah and help ensure it can continue providing lifesaving emergency care throughout the Catskills, community members are encouraged to contribute to the organization’s annual fundraising campaign.

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