Five ambulances donated by Lois Pope and a generous group of benefactors of the LIFE Foundation to Magen David Adom (MDA), Israel’s Red Cross, continue to save lives in the Middle East. These much-needed ambulances provide life-saving emergency medical help to seriously ill or injured persons in their time of need. “Magen David Adom does such wonderful work in Israel,” said Mrs. Pope. “We are pleased to be in a position to help them continue to bring these much need services to all the people of Israel.”

Lois Pope and Mac Schwebel donated the first LIFE ambulance in March 1999. This unit is currently stationed in the Negev Desert area, the southernmost region in Israel, and has responded to 820 emergency calls. This ambulance responded to an explosion of a bomb inside a taxi on March 1, 2001. Of the 12 victims, one killed and two severely injured. Additionally, this ambulance also responded when a bomb went off in the center of the city, injuring 54 citizens, three of whom died, and two were severely injured.

Michele (Mrs. Pope’s daughter) and Michael Ritter donated the second LIFE ambulance in October 1999. This ambulance is stationed in Safed, one of the largest cities in Israel, which is located in the northern mountainous region of Israel. This ambulance has responded to 560 emergency calls, one of which was received on March 21, 2000 for emergency help following a serious automobile collision on a winding mountain road. MDA paramedics treated four seriously injured victims, including two children, on the scene, as well as en-route to the hospital. All survived.

Lois Pope along with Robert and Mary Montgomery donated the third LIFE Foundation ambulance in January 2000. Responding to 368 calls this ambulance is stationed in Mizpe Ramon, a town located in the hills of South Central Israel, near Jerusalem. On August 7, 2000, this LIFE ambulance responded to a call for emergency help from a woman who went into premature labor. She was transported to the nearest hospital for further treatment, where, following a complicated delivery, the mother and son did survive.

The fourth LIFE ambulance was donated by the LIFE Foundation in honor of the Ritter family in January 2000. This ambulance is stationed in Nazareth, a famed Christian holy site near Haifa in the northern end of Israel, has responded to 476 emergency calls. On December 19, 2000, this ambulance responded to a serious accident in which a worker fell from scaffolding, suffering critical injuries. MDA paramedics treated the victim for a broken leg and other lacerations en -route to the hospital.

The LIFE Foundation, Lois Pope and Jacqueline Goldman donated the fifth LIFE ambulance in November 2000. This ambulance is stationed in Rishon le Zion, located on the outskirts of Tel Aviv in Central Israel, and has responded to 128 calls. On February 3, 2001 the ambulance was used in response to a call for emergency help from the wife of an elderly man suffering a massive heart attack. MDA paramedics resuscitated the victim and transported him to the hospital in Tel Aviv where he received further treatment.

The ambulances donated by Lois Pope and other LIFE Foundation benefactors have traveled nearly 48,300 kilometers while responding to 2,352 emergency calls. It is estimated that ambulance staff members have treated a total of 3,070 people on-site or en-route to area hospitals.