Last Updated on October 22, 2021
The Home Front Command – Emergency drills & preparedness for Israel
You are startled by a loud noise, your cup of coffee falls out your hands and the hot liquid scalds your knee as it falls to the ground. It’s an air raid siren!!! Yom Hazikaron, war, missiles, what now? No need to panic. It’s The Home Front Command (פיקוד העורף / Pikud HaOref) conducting a nationwide drill.
In an effort to prepare the community as well as the emergency services, every few months Israel’s Home Front Command conducts a nationwide emergency drill. Air raid sirens will be heard in some places.
Practice drills are also conducted in cooperation with the Israel Ministry of Education (משרד החינוך / Misrad HaChinuch) so that your school-going children are fully prepared in the event of an emergency like fire, earthquake or a national security situation.
How will I know that there is going to be a drill?
A few days before the drill announcements are made across the media that a national emergency drill will be taking place. It will be announced on the radio, television stations and on news websites. In case you miss the Hebrew announcements, Anglo-list will also publish the information in English on the website and across our social networks.
- A look at Israel’s national security and emergency preparedness
- Reporting an emergency situation – a typical conversation with the emergency operator in English and Hebrew with transliterations
- Emergency contact numbers
What can I expect?
If this is your first emergency drill, please note:
- A 90 second-long siren goes off in certain locations or across the country. Certain geographical locations may be excluded from the drill. If so, this will be announced.
- One hour before the drill, The Home Front Command sends a text message to mobile phone subscribers. You will receive this announcement on your phone. If you did not receive a notification, you should contact the Home Front Command and ask them to add you to the list.
Contacting The Home Front Command
- The Home Front Command can be contacted by dialing 104 from any phone. Phone instructions are available in Hebrew, English, Russian, Arabic, Amharic, French, German and Italian.
- Their website: https://www.oref.org.il/ is available in 4 languages; Hebrew, English, Russian and Arabic.
