A recent tragic event in our community shines a spotlight on a crucial communal issue, that for too long has gone unaddressed.
The steady influx of families and burgeoning Monsey population has led to the creation of multiple new outlying neighborhoods.
Unfortunately however, while these new neighborhoods enjoy a healthy growth and are regarded as full-fledged communities in many respects, they are heavily neglected with regard to Hatzalah.
Let me list but a few key aspects in which the Hatzalah needs of these communities are severely underrepresented:
* There are no Hatzalah garages in the appropriate proximity to adequately service more severe or time sensitive cases.
* There is zero – minimal recruitment for additional members taking place in these neighborhoods.
* A general lethargy in response to the repeated requests to accept new members.
* No community members serving as Hatzalah coordinators that can informatively and advantageously advocate for these neighborhoods.
As the Monsey demographics have shifted, perhaps our perspective and approach should follow suit – and shift, to accommodate the Hatzalah needs of our community.
Perhaps now is the time to divide the region into separate zones and to factionalize Hatzalah by neighborhood.
Perhaps now is the time to install new coordinators that are representatives of their communities with an understanding of their needs.
Perhaps now is the time to allow the area Rabonim that lead and guide these communities to dictate the protocols and regulate their neighborhood Hatzoloh.
Let us be smart enough and responsible enough to discuss these changes out of foresight, rather than, chas v’shalom out of anymore hindsight.
A concerned community member
