Ambulancing on the Shabbos Front—in the Heat and Cold
A Hatzalah member is responding to a Shabbos call in a heat wave (or alternatively, in extreme cold). He is permitted to start the motor and drive his van or car for the sake of pikuach nefesh (preservation of life)—even though these acts are normally forbidden on Shabbos—but may he turn on the air to cool off or heat the vehicle?
Many issurim (restrictions) become permissible on Shabbos for the sake of a choleh sheyesh bo sakanah (ill person in danger) and controlling the temperature in an ambulance is among these leniencies. Even if the car (or cabin of the van) is being cooled off or heated strictly for EMS members, there is room in extreme weather conditions for a heter (halachic dispensation) on account of “hitiru sofan mishum techilasan” (this act is permissible for the sake of their initial involvement), i.e. to prevent them from rejecting the call due to the physical discomfort it would entail without the a/c in a heat wave or freezing spell.
Since the parameters of hitiru sofan mishum techilasan is open to much interpretation in halachah, it is good practice to set the air control before Shabbos begins when extreme weather is forecasted, so it will kick in automatically when the motor is turned on (with no need to push additional buttons, performing more issurim than necessary). Even poskim who are strictest in their application of this heter deem it unnecessary to turn off the a/c before Shabbos when harsh temperatures are expected. If it wasn't set before Shabbos and it is extremely hot or cold, a non-Jew may turn it on, or a Jew may do so with a shinui (roundabout action), though these workarounds would cause delay and should obviously not be used when time is of the essence.
If the EMS personnel cannot work properly and the extreme weather interferes with their yishuv hadaas (presence of mind), all poskim agree that it is permissible to turn on the a/c.
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