The Home Front – no policy, no equipment

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Yesterday saw the resignation of the director general of the Home Front Defense

Ministry, Gabi Ophir. The resignation is only a symptom of total chaos. The home front is not ready and I as well as others have pointed this out countless times, yet nothing has changed.

The former minister for Home Front Defense said that the situation is currently better than in previous years and that the home front is ready for any situation. That was a statement without any connection to reality.

If a missile hits Tel Aviv today there will be no rhyme, nor reason to who is supposed to do what. In the areas hit, you will find representatives of the police, fire, HFC MDA urban emergency services, but there won’t be a “Head” coordinator of any kind.

This situation has simmered in stagnation for many years without anything being done to significantly improve it.

i-HLS Israel Homeland Security

Some potential disasters could be that the Israeli electrical company operates near the top level of capability, if just one production unit would be hit Israel would have a very serious problem.

Another disturbing fact is that the Home Front Command doesn’t have enough engineering equipment to clear rubble and the reliance on equipment owned by civilian companies seems like a bad joke.

In an exercise that was held a few months ago, it took two hours to pick up a high rise rescue cage to rescue people trapped in a high rising building.

Some of the emergency fire trucks that are kept in emergency warehouses are relics, with more than a few having long ago celebrated their30th birthday.

The shortage in gas masks has been reviewed by thousands of words. Another inquiry commission will be formed. It`s just a matter of time.

Many local authorities have a large number of security cameras that cover large areas. In most cases these are not even connected to a central control center which can make use of the data to prioritize the dispatch of the units.

I mentioned only some examples. The chaos is total.

 By: Arie Egozi