Home Front Command Prompts Israelis to be Prepared for Emergencies

JERUSALEM, Israel – During this year's public information campaign, the IDF's Home Front Command is urging Israelis to prepare for a variety of emergency situations, including war and natural disasters, such as earthquakes or tsunamis.

Among the emergency resources families should keep on hand are battery-operated radios, bottled water, and portable electrical chargers.

"This is the change we made this year, telling civilians to go out and get emergency equipment," Col. Sigal Tidhar, head of the Home Front Command's Population Department, told The Jerusalem Post.

"These are small, yet significant things civilians can do during peacetime to be better prepared," she said.

The Home Front Command also encouraged families to talk over emergency preparations with their younger children.

"Parents can speak to children and tell them where to go if something happens while they are at work," she said.

There are many things families can do to be prepared in the event of war or natural disasters, she said.

Meanwhile, plans are underway for next year to train tenth graders as first responders. Students will learn emergency first aid, search and rescue techniques, and firefighting.