A new helipad designated for medical evacuation helicopters was established at the Herzog Medical Center complex in Jerusalem with an investment of approximately NIS 5 million. The helipad, built by the Hatzolah Air organization, spans an area of about 5 dunams and is intended, among other uses, for operating a Sikorsky S-76 medevac helicopter.
Alongside the helipad, the organization's Jerusalem operations center is being built, which includes infrastructure for operational activity, command, and coordination, as well as facilities for the crews. The goal is to create a base combining a helicopter, ground infrastructure, and professional teams in the Jerusalem area.
According to the organization, the base will also be able to serve the Beit Shemesh and Lachish regions, the Jordan Valley, the Dead Sea, Judea and Samaria, and other areas, subject to the required approvals and coordination.
A new base for rapid medical evacuation
The helipad will be operated by flight crews, medical personnel, and ground and operational teams in cooperation with MDA, Brook Aviation, Herzog Medical Center, Hadassah-University Medical Center, and other entities. The investment in establishing the complex, which includes infrastructure, buildings, equipment, and operational readiness, totaled approximately NIS 5 million and was made with the assistance of donors, including David and Judy Hager.
Hatzolah Air is a non-profit organization established in the United States in 2018 by American-Jewish philanthropist Eli Rowe. The organization engages in medical flights, patient transfers to care centers, and rescue missions. According to its account, it has carried out more than 1,800 missions in more than 24 countries since its inception.
The organization's international flight operations are based on a fleet of medical jets, including a Gulfstream G550, two Citation X aircraft, and a Citation CJ3 aircraft. Among other operations, the organization participated in the rescue and medical evacuation of casualties from Ukraine following the outbreak of the war in 2022. On October 7, 2023, and during the war, helicopters from the joint fleet of Hatzolah Air and MDA participated in evacuating the wounded from the Gaza border region.
Eli Rowe, president of Hatzolah Air, said: "Our vision is to bring medical assistance to anyone in need, even when distance makes the path to treatment complex. Over the years at Hatzolah Air, we have built the capacity to reach patients around the world; now we are also investing in building local capacity in Israel. The Jerusalem base, together with MDA and our partners, will allow us to gradually expand the scope of operations and reach more people at moments when rapid, professional medical evacuation can make all the difference."
Dr. Aaron Adler, director and medical director of Hatzolah Air, said: "I worked for many years in emergency medicine in Jerusalem and the surrounding area, and I am familiar with cases where the distance between the scene of the event and the hospital is part of the medical challenge. The 'Heart of the Country' helicopter is designed to give us an additional option in the right cases: severe trauma victims, patients suffering a cardiac event or stroke, and cases requiring urgent transfer for advanced care. Not every patient needs a helicopter; but when airborne evacuation is appropriate, we want this capability to be available to residents of Jerusalem and the surrounding region as well, in full cooperation with MDA and the hospitals."