UNIT 669

They are trained to rescue and evacuate wounded soldiers under fire, operating far beyond enemy lines, but even for these trained professionals, the Zafit Stream disaster, which claimed the lives of 10 teens, was a particularly traumatic event. Yediot Ahronot 11.24.18 In his forthcoming book, “From zero to a 100″— which will be published in the coming months by Yedioth Books—Guy, a paramedic in IAF’s special Airborne Rescue and Evacuation Unit 669, describes a day that started just like any other day, but ended with the dramatic rescue operation for missing teens who were swept away in the flooding of the Zafit Stream. Guy, 24, from Hoshaya community settlement in northern Israel, was released from the army a few months ago, after a long army service. From the beginning of his basic training course until his discharge day, Guy documented his experiences as a paramedic in one of the IDF’s most elite and intriguing units. Unit 669 participates in every possible combat scenario— from rescue and evacuation missions under fire to secret operations beyond enemy lines—and its skilled soldiers possess all the necessary fighting and rescue skills. Rescue fighters on call in Tel Nof or Palmachim air bases don’t know where their job will take them in fifteen minutes—will they be on their way to rescue hikers caught in a flood? Or wounded soldiers trapped in the heart of Gaza? For this reason, they must be prepared for every possible scenario. The following is an excerpt from Guy’s book which describes the dramatic rescue operation of high school student from the southern Zafit Stream, following the flash flood disaster which left 10 teenagers dead. The names of the unit’s combat soldiers, commanders, paramedics, and doctors were changed for information security purposes.

Alum of Israel’s elite Unit 669 unit heed the call to serve and train civilians around the world to take practical, immediate steps in emergency situations By EMILY BENEDEK31 January 2019 Bar Reuven was in the subway in Brooklyn when he saw someone collapse on the platform. The 29-year-old Israeli moved instantly toward the trouble. He knelt beside the young woman, made sure she could breathe, and performed a quick medical check. He shouted to a bystander to call 911, but was surprised to see most people eager to walk — or run — away. “After the medics came and took her to the hospital, I got back on the train, and people clapped for me,” Reuven said, shaking his head. “Like I was a hero. But all I did was respond. And I realized how many people are afraid to help because they don’t know what to do.” Reuven knew what to do because he happens to be a former team leader of one of Israel’s most elite forces, Unit 669, the Combat Search and Rescue Special Operations group of the Israeli Air Force, where he spent five years. Because the unit’s primary responsibility is the rescue of Israeli pilots behind enemy lines, every operator is not only a warrior, but also a combat medic. The soldiers of 669 are trained within an inch of their lives to fight their way toward the most valuable of prizes: a downed pilot and his or her plane. They may also have to fight their way out — all while administering medical care.