Boaz Kukia cuts ribbon on new Arad ambulance
Boaz Kukia cuts ribbon on new Arad ambulanceUnited Hatzalah

Family members of slain IDF soldier Ron Kukia, who was stabbed and killed in a terror attack in Arad at the end of November 2016, donated two lifesaving EMS bags to the United Hatzalah emergency medical services organization in the city of Arad.

The donation was presented by the family at the graduation ceremony of the regional EMT course that was held last week in the city. In addition to the graduation, United Hatzalah also inaugurated an ambulance that will be used in Arad and the surrounding areas.

Boaz Kukia, the father of the late Ron Kukia, said at the event: “We decided as a family to commemorate Ron in the very place in which he was murdered. We felt it fitting to commemorate him by donating lifesaving equipment in the city of Arad so that from now on, lives will be saved with this equipment in the place that our son’s life was taken.”

Boaz was honored with the ribbon cutting of the new ambulance.

Avi Elchiani was one of the first emergency medical responders who arrived to treat Ron. He received one of the two medical kits that were donated by the Kukia family. Elchiani said: “This ceremony and dedication gave the family, as well as all of us who responded to the murder, a sense of closure.”

During the ceremony, 15 new volunteer EMTs from the cities of Arad, Kuseife, and Arara Banegev celebrated their graduation from the training course and joined the ranks of the close to 5,000 EMS volunteers that make up the nation-wide volunteer network of United Hatzalah. The new volunteers will be providing pre-ambulatory emergency medical care to the city of Arad and the surrounding areas.

Arad Mayor Nisan Ben Hemo thanked the new volunteers for their assistance.

“I came tonight to share with you my thanks and the thanks of the residents of this city for all the work that United Hatzalah volunteers do for the residents here,” he said. “You rush out during all hours of the day and night and regardless of the weather in order to save the lives of others.”

“What makes this event and this organization even more beautiful is that we have volunteers here tonight who represent the entire spectrum of this country’s residents. In front of me are volunteers who are secular, religious, men, women, Jews and Arabs, who all share one thing in common - the desire to save lives and help others. Thank you all, and I wish you the best of luck and success.”

Regional paramedic Revital Curiel and EMT Avi Elchiani receive donated medic kits.
Regional paramedic Revital Curiel and EMT Avi Elchiani receive donated medic kits.United Hatzalah
Arad course graduates
Arad course graduatesUnited Hatzalah