And, MDA doesn't just serve Israel. Whenever there is a call for help, anywhere in the world, MDA is there. If there is a terrorist bombing, a Scud missile attack, an earthquake, or need for blood, MDA's response is immediate without regard for race or religion. Magen David Adom is staffed predominately by approximately 9,000 volunteers with a small percentage of paid medical personnel. Volunteers, of all ages and religions, undergo a thorough and extensive training period before they can participate in emergency situations.
All volunteers are able to administer first aid and deliver babies.
MDA's ambulances travel a total of about 3,669,370 miles each year, transporting approximately 231,000 patients. Each ambulance is connected to their station and to regional communication centers throughout Israel. Most ambulances are attached to MDA stations. A network of emergency telephones, set at one-mile intervals along Israel's highways, provides Israeli citizens with immediate contact with MDA control centers and emergency ambulance service. The MICU's are equipped with the latest instruments for the diagnosis and treatment of cardiac and polytrauma patients, and are linked by telemetry equipment to the coronary care sections of nearby hospitals, enabling the attending physicians to provide appropriate treatment en route.