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August 04, 2006
Israel's firefighters need your help
[ Alcibiades adds: see this article for a description of some of the firefighting fights that took place in the last few weeks in Israel's north. ]
More opportunities for Tzedakah here.
I got an email with a long list of "aid to Israel" organizations, which I will post shortly, but I thought this deserved to be hilighted. Contact Friends of Israel's Firefighters to donate.
. . . . . the unsung heroes of the War are Israel's Firefighters, who are combating 100-150 fires a day. At present, the number of firefighters on duty in the north is five times the norm (the upper Galilee has 100 vs. 20 normally and if one includes Haifa, Afula and Tiberias the numbers are 250 vs. 50 normally). Firefighters are working from 5am- 12pm straight without break. Local firefighters are working two day shifts and then getting the third day off. Firefighters that are being bused in from central and southern Israel are working a three day shift and then returning home. The firefighters are on the brink of exhaustion, both those who are fighting the rocket fires in the north as well as those who are working double shifts in the rest of Israel.
Firefighters are running desperately low on basic equipment such as rescue equipment, firefighting protective gear and hoses, which are being damaged, or left behind as firefighters race from fire to fire (proper clean-up is not always possible). In addition, there is not enough basic communication equipment, which is vital. Nor is there anywhere near enough of the special protective gear against the follow-up missiles which are timed to hit emergency personnel. Finally, two fire-stations are without bomb shelters and last Saturday a station in Naharia came within 100 yards of absorbing a direct hit.
Firefighting, unlike defense & the police, does not have its own ministry. Instead it is the primary responsibility of local municipalities, which provide half of the funding. Many of the municipalities are in dire financial trouble and are way behind in funding. In addition, budget constraints have also forced the national government to reduce its funding of capital expenditures from $4.5 to $1.5 million a year.
In the past week, I have spoken with Shimon Romach, the Fire and Rescue Commissioner for Israel, three times to review the ongoing needs. The good news is that earlier today the national government agreed to provide $800,000 a week in emergency funds to cover additional salaries, food and gasoline costs associated with the War. In addition, the government committed half of the $1.4 million that was needed to cover the emergency equipment outlined above. Unfortunately, the Firefighters are left with an immediate shortfall of $700,000 for basic equipment. The Friends of Israel's Firefighters is seeking to raise these urgently needed funds.
Judith | 08/04/06 at 12:30 AM | Categories: - The War of Dire Straits
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» Many ways to support Israel from Kesher Talk
The Center for Entrepreneurial Jewish Philanthropy sends an email listing many worthy organizations doing emergency aid work in Israel. Please consider supporting them. Also see the Mogen David Adom button in the left sidebar. I previously posted a sec... [Read More]
Tracked on August 4, 2006 07:06 PM
Comments
I am a disabled firefighter. May God bless the brothers, and sisters, in Israel!! Shalom.
Paul | August 4, 2006 06:06 AM
