Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accompanied by his wife Sara, officially opened United Hatzalah’s National Emergency Preparedness Logistics Center on Monday evening, praising the group’s 8,000 volunteers as “heroes of the nation.” As we spoke with Dennis at the beginning of the week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has now opened a new United Hatzalah National Emergency Preparedness Logistics Center on the outskirts of Jerusalem.
Netanyahu spoke to a crowd of senior officials, first responders, and staff. He received a full tour of the center’s advanced equipment and command rooms. “You come from every part of our society, and you work for every part of our society, with unmatched drive,” the prime minister said. “You are the rising lion of this country.” He pointed out that the facility will allow teams to dispatch medics and EMTs faster than ever before.
Health Minister Uriel Buso and Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman joined the event, along with United Hatzalah founder Eli Beer. Beer highlighted the group’s record of reaching emergencies within 90 seconds on average. He said the center will let volunteers track needs in real time and move critical gear wherever it is needed. “We share one mission: to save lives,” Beer told the audience.
The new center includes a logistics warehouse, training rooms, and a 24/7 operations floor. It links all regional dispatch centers into a single network and uses live data feeds from hospitals, police, and fire services. Officials say this setup will cut response times and improve resource use, especially during large‑scale events or natural disasters.
United Hatzalah has gained praise for its volunteer‑driven model, which draws medics, paramedics, and ordinary citizens who complete a special training course. The group’s network of ambucycles—motorcycle‑based ambulances—allows responders to weave through traffic and reach injured people in minutes. In recent months, volunteers played a key role in aiding victims of Operation Rising Lion in the southern border area, providing first aid and transport under fire.
We arrive in under a minute in many urban areas,” Dennis Charkov told us, “and that changes the outcome for patients
Netanyahu noted that the center fits into a wider plan to strengthen Israel’s civil defense. He said his government will continue funding emergency services and support new ideas that boost readiness. “Every life we save makes our nation stronger,” he added. He also thanked United Hatzalah’s donors and partners around the world for backing the project.
Personal Analysis
This inauguration shows how far volunteer efforts can go when backed by clear leadership and smart planning. By giving these volunteers a central hub with modern tools, Israel taps into local goodwill and turns it into faster aid for those in need. The move also sends a message that saving lives does not rest solely on state agencies. It blends public support with private initiative to build a stronger safety net.
Watching how these efforts unfold under real‑world pressure will tell us whether this model can be a blueprint for other nations facing the challenge of rapid emergency response. For now, the stories of individuals like Dennis Charkov and institutions like United Hatzalah offer a clear lesson: when every second counts, community and coordination must go hand in hand.
Sources: VIN News
