Video summary
The Sea of Galilee, also known as the Kinneret, presents a deceptive calm that can quickly turn dangerous due to sudden shifts in weather patterns. While the waters often appear serene in the morning, strong western Mediterranean winds frequently pick up around mid-afternoon, creating powerful currents that can sweep unsuspecting swimmers and boaters into the open lake. This unpredictability is compounded by extreme summer heat, which poses a dual threat of drowning and severe dehydration or heatstroke, even for those who are swimming. The video highlights how these environmental factors catch many people off guard, leading to panic situations where individuals lose their ability to swim back to shore despite being capable swimmers earlier in the day.
United Hatzalah's specialized aquatic team operates out of Tiberias to counter these risks through a proactive approach that differs significantly from their land-based emergency response. Unlike on land where teams typically arrive after an incident has occurred, this boat crew patrols the lake continuously to identify and rescue individuals before they succumb to exhaustion or panic. The transcript details several harrowing rescues, including instances where surfers and dinghy passengers were dragged into deep water by sudden currents. In one specific case, a skilled swimmer who had crossed the channel multiple times was found unable to return to shore due to dehydration and fatigue, requiring immediate medical attention for rehydration and calming before he could be safely brought aboard.
The rescue vessel is fully equipped with life-saving medical supplies, including a defibrillator, oxygen tanks, bandages, and saline solutions, allowing the team to provide critical care directly on the water. The crew's mission extends beyond physical extraction; they also address the psychological trauma of panic attacks and the embarrassment victims feel after being rescued while claiming to be experienced swimmers. A particularly dramatic example involves a small rowboat drifting in the middle of the lake carrying a young mother and her four children, a scenario that underscores the gravity of their work and the necessity of their presence. The team's ability to treat dehydration, stabilize patients, and offer emotional support ensures that survivors receive comprehensive care immediately upon rescue.
Looking toward the future, this aquatic unit represents the only such operation within Israel, though the organization aims to expand its reach to the open ocean where drowning incidents are more common. For the skipper and her crew, saving lives is described as an addictive and deeply rewarding experience that surpasses any other form of relief. The video concludes by emphasizing that their presence on the water prevents tragedies before they happen, effectively stopping stories of loss rather than just reacting to them. Ultimately, the team's dedication transforms a potentially fatal environment into a place where panic is managed, lives are preserved, and people are returned safely to shore with medical stability and emotional reassurance.
Read the full video transcript
This sea has a multiple personality
disorder.
>> Right now everything looks very calm,
but [music] looks can be deceiving
because from this afternoon, usually in
the afternoon around 2:00, 3:00, the
western Mediterranean winds are picking
up and [music] this lake can actually
become very dangerous for all those that
are enjoying their summer holiday.
[music] And this is where these guys
come in because we are here at United
Hatzalah. This is the aquatic team here
in Tiberias and these [music] guys are
helping to save lives to those in need.
So we're joining them today to see how
they do it. Hi guys.
>> Hi Lexi.
Welcome.
>> Welcome to the United Hatzalah rescue
boat.
>> Amazing. So today, what are we going to
do?
>> Even season swimmers
sometimes cannot fight those currents.
They get carried inside.
People don't realize that.
People come here in the morning, they
see this beautiful calm sea,
they go in and then all of a sudden the
wind picks up and they get carried into
the sea.
Uh, they panic.
And panic is very bad when you're in the
sea.
And that's what we're here for.
>> And this is now we're in the middle of
August. It's very hot and you said that
you've received a lot of calls over this
past summer. Tell us about this.
>> Last summer was really, really bad. I
mean, we had a lot of people that we had
to get out of the water.
Thankfully, in most cases,
we were there in time before something
bad happened.
The other thing that happens when it's
so hot, people don't understand even if
you're in the water in this weather,
you can get dehydration
or even worse, a heatstroke.
The fact that you're in the water
doesn't mean that your body is getting
enough fluids.
So we see people that
I'm in the water, you know, what can
happen?
And they're dehydrated. Now heatstroke
can actually deteriorate all the way to
a heart failure.
So
that's one of the things.
The other thing is is that people see
the see them in the morning, they can't
swim, they go in and they're little the
rest of the dinghies,
and then all of a sudden they get
carried away, and they start panicking.
>> And this is where this is where you come
in. What happens then?
>> in.
Now, we come in
two ways.
We either get a call either on our
communicator or through the Marathon
police, we get the coordinates, we go
there, we pick them up. The other thing
is is
>> [music]
>> we patrol. We simply patrol back and
forth, keep looking into the water, keep
checking things out.
>> And indeed, the call does come. That
afternoon, a dinghy and a surfer get
dragged by the currents into the middle
of the lake. A bit later, the same
happens to this man. Luckily, the United
Hot Sauce team is there to get him to
safety. Skipper Aussie has seen similar
situations more times [music] than she
cares to remember.
>> I'm steering the boat, and I think I see
a head bobbing in the water. I got one
of the crew take the binoculars, take a
look. We get near, the guy in the water,
he's treading water. We ask him if he
wants to get on the boat, you know, I
just said he can't talk.
We get him on the boat. He is exhausted.
He is exhausted to the point where he
literally cannot talk.
He's also dehydrated. [music]
So, we treat the little bit of
dehydration,
we relax him, and he says, "I'm a
swimmer.
I've crossed the Kinzie Channel so
[music] many times. I've done the Kinzie
Channel crossing.
I was swimming here in the morning, and
all of a sudden I can't swim back to
shore." So, we have to treat him for his
dehydration,
uh make sure that he was okay besides
that, and we also had to treat his
embarrassment.
>> And that's not the only example.
>> We were told that a group was adrift in
a rowboat. And inside that little dinghy
is a 24-year-old woman
and four kids ages 1
2
4 and 7.
How do I even put into that thing? I
don't know.
I have to admit when I saw that I got
scared.
>> The team is fully equipped to save
lives. The boat carries a defibrillator,
bandages, an oxygen tank, saline for
dehydration, everything you would also
need on land. Because whatever the
situation, the emergency response team
is here to prevent the story from
happening.
>> On land, we always get there
after something bad happened or when
it's happening.
Somebody's having a heart attack,
somebody was in an accident, somebody
fell down the stairs.
On the sea, we're there to prevent those
things from happening.
We're there to get the people before
something happens because once something
happens in the water,
that's going to be a lot more difficult
to get them back up.
>> For now, this aquatic team is the only
United Hatzalah boat in Israel, but the
ambitions don't stop there. [music] The
dream is to get out on the ocean where
drownings are far more common. [music]
For skipper Ossi, that would mean the
opportunity to help the people she so
loves to serve.
>> Helping somebody through a panic attack,
getting them out of the water, helping
them
in the ambulance, holding their hand
when they need it.
It's all part of it. It's all part of it
and I have to admit it's it's addictive.
I mean,
who needs drugs or alcohol? Save a life,
you're high for 2 days.
I'm serious.
And getting people out of the water here
is actually saving a life.