Medics from Israel’s Emergency Medical Services meet the families of a few of the patients whose lives they saved at the Carmel Fire

An emotional meeting was held yesterday in the emergency ward at Rambam Medical Center in Haifa between the families of two survivors of the Carmel forest fire and the MDA medics who saved their relatives. The medical condition of the two injured – Danny Chayat and Jalal Bissan – is still defined as severe and they are both still unconscious.

Senior Medic Shlomi Dahan spoke to Danny's parents, Moti and Bat-Sheva, and to his sister Tali and wife Hofit, who is in the final stages of pregnancy. "We received reports of a ball of fire, and we expected to receive injured" the medic told the family.

"When a van drove up, two firemen came out of it and said there was an injured fireman. Danny came out and told us 'Help me – I'm burning'. We had containers of water and a poured them all over his body. I immediately put an oxygen mask on him and we evacuated him to Rambam Medical Center. During the ride he kept on saying 'My wife is pregnant, my wife has to give birth' and he asked to call his father and speak with him.

The medic related that Danny told the father he was slightly injured and was on his way to the hospital. "He didn't stop speaking about his wife during the entire ride. He kept on saying how much he loves here and that she has to give birth. I really identified with him as a human and as a father of children".

Dahan told Chayat's wife: "You have the privilege of a loving husband, you are so important to him. I want to shake his hand when he will be on his feet and healthy."
No eye was left dry among those present. Danny's family held Hofit, who was thankful to the rescue services, and hoped that Danny would overcome his injury toward the birth of their daughter.
In the adjacent waiting room the family of Jalal Bissan was waiting. They have been in the hospital 24 hours a day since his injury last Thursday.