(click image map to see it very clearly)
This map gives you a very accurate indicator of the minimum amount of time you need to find serious shelter in case of an missile detection Air Raid siren going off.Our friends up north unfortunately have close to zero lead time, and must find shelter "immediately" upon hearing the siren. Based on the other generous amounts of time that other regions have, "immediately" means 0-15 seconds...
Different people cope with emergency situations in a variety of ways, but my personal recommendation has always been: preparedness is the best way to deal with an emergency. That's why we built a bomb shelter in our home, despite it not being mandatory from a zoning perspective (though 2 years after we built our home, it did become mandatory). All our cellphones (and our kids phones) have the emergency IDF dispatcher hotline programmed to a speed dial and we know who to call for emergencies, and how to act in case of different situations -- earthquakes, sirens, etc.
Just this past weekend, I showed our kids how to put on gas-masks (currently, the IDF only plans on redistributing them within 2 years), and I'd rather kids be aware of them now -- then only seeing them for the first time during an emergency.The IDF Homefront says their new program of missile/emergency preparations and awareness does not mean a war is imminent, so I'll let you draw your own conclusions.
In the meantime, for residents of Israel, I seriously advise taking some time to read through the IDF Homefront website in English, Hebrew, Russian, and even in Arabic.
The Arabic is mildly disturbing, considering the fun graphics of missile launches, Qassam rockets and fires with Arabic captions look slightly more like something from a Hamas website.OK people - you know what to do.
Be prepared, discuss it with your kids, and don't bury your head in the sand. Missile threats are reality -- and the best way to prepare is to take the outlined, necessary steps from the IDF Homefront command.
And make sure your bomb shelter/MAMAD has an internet connection in it, so you can see real-time updates from the Muqata blog.
Lets be careful out there!
hat-tip: Shulamith I.
nicely said,
ReplyDeleteAnd I say this as one who is in the Home Front Command.
BTW - All of Israel has been under missile range for over 15 years now (1991) so that is nothing new. Also this campaign has been in the works for at least 6 months and has NOTHING to do with any specific threat!
I will add that everyone should be getting one of these maps to their homes in the near future and in any case I would recommend doing 2 things:
1. Find you Safe place (מרחב מוגן) and make sure that evey one knows that it is (we have stickers for such case if anyone needs).
2. look at the web site to see how much time you have to get into your Safe place.
I totally agree that the more we know the better we will be prepared.
That was fast, I got mine in my mailbox already (Yerushalayim) Too bad there's no safe spot on my block.....But like was said it's been this way for around 15 years and I travel around Israel..so..just to keep all this in mind is important. Good post Jameel. Sensible, thoughtful.
ReplyDeleteI would love to take this picture and make the headline:
ReplyDelete"In an effort to distance the large population center center of Tel Aviv from missile attacks, the entire city including the Azrieli Towers, has been evacuated to the location of the former Arab city of Shechem. Compensation plans are being offered according to the same guidelines used for the evacuation from Gush Katif.
Former Gush Katif residents will serve as Adjustment Counselors to assist the former Tel Aviv residents with the difficulties that stem from the evacuation process. Permanent housing and infrastructure is planned to be completed in the near future."
Jiminy, LOL!
ReplyDeleteOleh Yahshan (why 2 H's?) and Jameel -
My safe place is anywhere with a sefer tehilim. You may remember that most Israelis successfully defended themselves from missiles with... saran wrap
a lot happens around here, but that factoid still hold the record for weird and amazing imho
-Gidon from http://www.holycityprayer.com
In my neighborhood we cannot hear the sirens. We didn't hear the Yom Hashoah one.
ReplyDeleteanon: Then you must call up the IDF homefront command and your local municipality and inform them.
ReplyDeleteTheir number/contact info is in the links above in my post.
Jmminy: I feel better now that the Azrielli Shopping mall is in the Shomron!
I guess if you're color-blind, this is just one more way that natural selection will try to bump you off.
ReplyDeleteInternet up in the mamad most of the time. Tehillim and internet--it's all good.
ReplyDeleteI'll have a talk with the kids tomorrow. (But we don't have gas masks--what's up with that?)
Shavua Tov, and thanks for the info.