Jewish group gives ‘trauma kits’ to South Florida synagogues ahead of holidays

Kits distributed by Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County include supplies to treat life-threatening injuries before emergency services arrive

By AP 3 September 2021, 8:34 am

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Illustrative: A scooter belonging to Hatzalah of South Florida, a volunteer emergency medical service organization serving mostly areas with Jewish communities, is shown parked outside the Shul of Bal Harbour, a Jewish community center in Surfside, Florida, June 14, 2021. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

WEST PALM BEACH, Florida — For the first time, an organization in South Florida is distributing “trauma kits” to Jewish houses of worship that help treat life-threatening injuries before first responders can arrive.

The kits being distributed this week by the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County contain bandages, gloves, burn-care gel, mylar rescue blankets and other equipment.

The kits were being distributed to area synagogues and Chabad houses of worship ahead of the Jewish holidays which start next week with the Jewish New Year.

“Safety must be a component of every organization’s culture,” the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County said on its website.

The safety efforts follow several attacks on US synagogues in recent years.

During the last day of Passover services in April 2019, a man opened fire at Chabad of Poway in California, killing a 60-year-old woman and and wounding three others. In October 2018, 11 people were killed during a mass shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue.