Life Saved on Board Flight by Rockland Hatzoloh Member

by M.C. Millman 

A member of Hatzoloh of Rockland County is being hailed for his heroic actions after he provided medical care to a woman who, due to high blood pressure, collapsed in the aisle on last night's JetBlue flight 571 from LaGuardia to Fort Lauderdale. 

Naftali Schischa, a Hatzoloh of Rockland EMT, rendered medical assistance to the passenger as the plane flew over South Carolina. His expertise in dealing with medical emergencies allowed the flight to continue to Florida instead of having to make an emergency landing inconveniencing all passengers.

The plane landed at 2:36 a.m. at  Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. Broward County Sheriff emergency responders met with the passenger and treated her on the scene. She did not need to go to the hospital. 

Rockland Daily reached out to Hatzoloh of Rockland and received the following statement. 

"This incident on the JetBlue flight by one of our Rockland Hatzoloh members is not an isolated incident, as members of Hatzoloh of Rockland County, as well as any other Hatzalah volunteer throughout the world, are ready to serve 24/7/365 in any situation, at any time of day or night. While this particular incident “made the news”, this type of incident happens quite frequently, and many of our members can recount times they were called upon to save lives in mid-flight. In fact, one particular incident had one of our members request an emergency landing into a frigid, snowing Nova Scotia for a very sick passenger on a flight from Israel to New York.

"We applaud our member’s actions and the Kiddush Hashem he made this morning, and we look forward to his continued success serving as a member of Hatzoloh of Rockland County."

Rockland Daily also reached out to the member who declined to be interviewed.