Hatzolah is receiving widespread praise after rescuing a lightning strike patient when the original ambulance transporting the victim broke down en route to Jersey Shore University Medical Center.
The incident unfolded Wednesday evening at the Black Knight Bow Benders archery club in Jackson, where a lightning strike during what appeared to be a routine outdoor gathering left one person dead and at least 14 others hospitalized. Witnesses reported the bolt struck a tree near a group gathered at the range just after 7:00 PM, triggering a mass casualty incident.
Among the injured were at least two individuals found unconscious. A 61-year-old patient – a volunteer instructor at the archery range who was teaching a group of youngsters how to shoot – required CPR at the scene and was transported in critical condition to a local hospital, where he tragically passed away.
Another seriously injured patients was being transported by a Jackson Township EMS ambulance to Jersey Shore, when the ambulance suddenly broke down. With no other EMS units immediately available, a nearby Hatzolah ambulance was dispatched to the scene and swiftly transferred the patient to complete the journey to the hospital without delay.
The act – shared by Jersey Coast Emergency News on Facebook – sparked an outpouring of praise across platforms, where many commenters — many from outside the Orthodox Jewish community — shared stories of Hatzolah coming to their aid during medical crises and car accidents. One woman shared that her parents had been rescued by Hatzolah in 2020; another recalled a sugar attack her mother had, and how Hatzolah showed up without asking questions about race or religion.
“Tonight, you deserve recognition. Thank you for all you do. God bless,” read the viral post from Jersey Coast Emergency News, which included a photo of a Hatzolah ambulance parked at the hospital.
Several commenters were quick to point out that Hatzolah is a volunteer-run organization and that its emergency medical responders are unpaid, countering misconceptions that they are part of a for-profit service or provides care exclusively to Jewish people.
