Saturday, March 2nd, 2002, 7:15 p.m. A suicide terrorist blows himself up outside a synagogue in the Beit Yisrael neighborhood, right next to a group of women waiting with their baby carriages for their husbands to finish their evening prayers.
The first on the scene, as always, is the local Fire and Rescue Service. The commander of Jerusalem’s Fire and Rescue Service, Moshe Suissa, has been on the force since his discharge from the IDF in 1975. He has participated in hundreds of rescue operations, and has witnessed every terrorist attack in Jerusalem. But he has never seen one as horrendous as the Beit Yisrael bombing.
"I was the first on the scene," he recalls. "There were ten dead. Three of the bodies were literally on fire, including a baby, about a year old. The first thing I did was to pick up the baby and hold her up to my body in order to put out the fire. Then I ran with her to the Magen David Adom ambulance for emergency medical treatment. Her mother was running after me the whole, trying to see her baby, but I couldn’t let her, it was too shocking."
YOUR GIFT IS ISRAEL’S STRENGTH
ISRAEL FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICES –
A KEREN HAYESOD TOP PRIORITY
One of the most urgent emergency needs that have been identified for 2003 is support for the Fire and Rescue Services. They provide the vital first line of response to any emergency situation, be it a fire, a car crash, a security incident or an incident involving hazardous materials.
Always the First on the Scene
When any act of terrorism occurs, the Fire and Rescue Services are the first on the scene. In addition to their expertise in extinguishing fires they specialize in rescuing victims trapped under rubble or in car and bus wreckages following bombings. The Fire and Rescue Services also give vital information to the IDF Home Front Command and other rescue organizations, enabling them to come prepared with the necessary equipment.
In the event of an Iraqi attack on Israel, they will have a vital role to play. Whether the Iraqis attack with conventional, biological or chemical weapons, the Fire and Rescue Department will be the first on the scene. If there is an attack on the civilian population of Israel with non-conventional weapons they that go in at point-blank range to contain toxic agents and prevent their dissemination. They are also trained to identify the nature of the toxic agent, enabling the Home Front Command to prepare the appropriate response.
Israel’s Unrecognized Heroes
There are presently 1,700 fire fighters serving in 25 Fire and Rescue Services. The fire fighters are deployed in 93 Fire Stations
throughout Israel. They come from all walks of life, native-born Israelis and new immigrants alike. Some are single; many are married and have children of their own. But one thing they all have in common: they do not hesitate to risk their lives to save other people’s children.
Yet, despite the vital life saving service that they perform while risking their own lives, Israel’s Fire and Rescue Services suffer a serious lack of sufficient equipment for their conventional work, and an even greater deficiency in rescue equipment and personal protective gear required in the case of a non-conventional attack.
In response to an urgent appeal for help by the Israel Fire and Rescue Commission, Keren Hayesod, with the endorsement of the Home Front Command, has "adopted" the Fire and Rescue Service and has undertaken to help them construct the required facilities and to provide them with essential equipment they lack.
"In spite of our serious lack of equipment, I’m optimistic, because of the quality of the people in the service, their sense of responsibility and spirit of self-sacrifice. A lot of them have families, children waiting for them at home. Yet they are willing to risk their lives to save someone else’s child. When you see that, how can be anything but optimistic?" Shimon Romach, Commander in Chief of the Israeli Fire and Rescue Services.
The Challenge
In today’s world, Israel’s Fire and Rescue Services must be able to cope with a new type of threat – non-conventional warfare and use of weapons of mass destruction. At times like these, it is essential to equip the Israel Fire and Rescue Services with the appropriate emergency equipment.
Protective Suits
One of the most basic requirements for the initial responders to chemical or biological attacks is protective gear that will enable them to rescue casualties while avoiding exposure to hazardous materials that could cause them fatal injury. Various types of protective suits are necessary, according to the type of incident.
The Level A Trellerborg HPS Chemical Protective Suit is designed to provide the firefighter with the necessary protection against a large variety of hazardous materials. The suit provides full body protection including the skin, eyes and respiratory system. Furthermore, it is possible to adapt the temperature within the suit, to provide for the comfort of the firefighter, thus ensuring optimal performance.
The Lakeland Tychem TK Light Chemical Protective Suit is worn by the firemen during the rescue and evacuation of casualties from the focal point of an incident involving a high vapor level. This lightweight suit gives the rescue team greater mobility, which enhances their performance of the various tasks necessary for the speedy evacuation of casualties during a non-conventional terrorist incident.
The Protective Over-Garment is the characteristic suit used by the IDF Decontamination Unit in a chemical warfare incident. This suit is essential for the Fire and Rescue Services during an emergency chemical warfare incident, since use of water (to extinguish the fire) does not cause damage to its unique features.
The Standard Firefighter Protective Ensemble (or turnout gear) consists of a fireproof jacket and trousers and a helmet that protects the head, forehead, eyes and face, and can be adapted to fit each individual.
Auxiliary Equipment
Mobile Communications System is intended for use within the impermeable Level A protective suits described above. This system allows the rescue team to communicate during the rescue operation, whether they are dealing with the focal point of an incident or rescuing/evacuating casualties. The protected crew can maintain contact with one another and convey and receive vital information to their commanders and other rescue workers outside of the contaminated area.
Breathing Apparatus and Filter is intended mainly for use with the designated protective suits, in order to lengthen the duration that the Fire and Rescue crew can work in areas contaminated with chemical or biological agents, enabling longer continuous activity.
Lightweight Air Cylinders are used with the breathing apparatus, to allow the firemen to breathe freely in a contaminated environment, regardless of the oxygen level in the air or the toxicity level of the material. These systems can only be used for a limited time period (due to the limited amount of air), therefore it is essential that the air tanks are as large, but as light as possible.
Air Compressor - When dealing with fires inside buildings, the oxygen level can drop below the amount needed to breathe. As the air cylinders empty out, they require refilling by means of air compressors, in order to be ready for immediate re-use.
Clean Air Apparatus for "Contaminated" Areas - The air compressors utilize the air in the vicinity of the compressor. If the compressor is in a contaminated area, it will be filled with contaminated air. However, if the compressor is located outside the contaminated area, the rescue team may have to cover a large distance, hampered by their protective clothing, in order to reach it. Thus, they may lose valuable time needed to deal with the focal point of the incident. The proposed clean air apparatus filters the air before it reaches the air cylinder.
Decontamination Equipment - Upon leaving a contaminated area, after dealing with an incident involving toxic materials, both
the rescue team and the rescue vehicles must undergo an appropriate decontamination process. A particular decontamination process using specific materials is required for this purpose.
Ceramic Bullet-Proof Vest - Frequently, the Israel Fire and Rescue Services are called into action to deal with incidents close to and across the borderline, in order to save both Jewish and Arab lives. In spite of the fact that their sole purpose is to save lives and property, they are often shot at by hostile Palestinians. The ceramic bullet-proof vests are designed to protect the rescue teams during these incidents.
Spring Mattress - is necessary to rescue people trapped in buildings over 4 stories high during fires.
Rescue Vehicles
Hazardous Materials (HAZMAT) Rescue Vehicles contain equipment designed for handling HAZMAT incidents, including protective suits, and include an air-conditioned cabin in which the Hazardous Materials Response Team can put on their protective turnout gear on the way to the incident. The cabin also serves as the initial command post, until the arrival of the regional HAZMAT Unit.
The "Sa’ar" Rescue Vehicle provides the first line of response to all fire and rescue tasks – both inside buildings and in open spaces. This is the most commonly used rescue vehicle, answering the needs of all incidents.
The "Ga’ash" Heavy Rescue Vehicle responds to rescue tasks on busy highways, forests, dirt roads, mountainous regions and off-road areas. The vehicle carries equipment necessary for heavy rescue operations in incidents involving victims trapped inside burning buildings, car accidents, collapsed buildings, land floods etc. It operates in all climactic and environmental conditions and carries heavy duty spreading and cutting systems, search equipment and lifting systems.
A 30 ton/meter crane is used on the Ga’ash Heavy Rescue Vehicle. The crane is designed to lift and clear debris from structures that have been damaged in bombing or missile attacks.
The "Nesher" Aerial Ladder Platform Vehicle is designed for fire and rescue operations taking place in high-rise buildings and industrial areas. This is the most advanced platform of its kind in the world and it has proven itself on various occasions.
Renovation of Fire Stations
Minimum response time is essential to save the maximum number of lives. In order to reduce the response time and provide life-saving services in remote areas, many of the Israel Fire and Rescue Services are faced with the need to build, reconstruct and
computerize fire stations. There is a particularly urgent need to provide security upgrades for the stations located along the Confrontation Line in the north and on the border with the Palestinian Authority.
Rising to the Challenge
The Israeli Fire and Rescue Services are among the most advanced in the world in terms of operations and professionalism. They provide the national first line of response to a variety of conventional and non-conventional threats.
However, lack of sufficient equipment not only hampers their ability to perform their duty with maximum efficiency, but also increases the personal risk that the rescue workers are taking.