The Raanana Municipality is preparing for the “Turning Point 4” National Home Front Exercise, to be held in Raanana on Wednesday, 26.5.10.  This will be an integrated exercise organized by the Home Front Command, the National Emergency Authority, the Israel Police, MADA, the Israel Firefighters Service, government ministries and local authorities, and is designed to improve the organizations preparedness to cope with emergency situations and to provide solutions for the civilian home front during different emergency scenarios.

The exercise will be held over a few days, from 23.5.10-27.5.10, where the local authorities will be integrated into the exercise on Wednesday, 26.5.10.  On this day, at 11:00, an ascending and descending siren will be heard for one and a half minutes, in Raanana and across the country.  When the siren is heard, Raanana residents are asked to enter their protective spaces, according to the warning time they are allocated.

During that day, emergency scenarios will be simulated, including the falling of various types of missiles, and will include the participation of all the country’s authorities.

Currently, the municipality is completing its preparations for the exercise that includes operating an emergency headquarters at the municipal war room, which will work in cooperation with the home front command, the Israel Police, the firefighters and MADA, based on the scenario prepared by the home front command.

In addition, all the educational and welfare institutions will take part in the exercise and will practice entering the shelters and protective spaces.

In the national emergency exercise held last year, the Raanana Municipality received high praise on its manner of executing the exercise.  Deputy Defense Minister, Matan Vilnai, visited the municipal war room, and received a first hand impression of its operation.  He also met with Mayor Nahum Hofree.  At the end of the exercise, the municipality was lauded for its operation and management of the exercise.

Residents are invited to contact the Municipal Moked information hot line for further information or the home front command website:  www.oref.org.il.

The Raanana Municipality is currently recruiting volunteers from among its residents for the municipal activity in emergency situations.  In light of past experience, the volunteer system is an essential factor during an emergency.  For information and registration, contact Moshe Mor at :  09-7610403, e-mail:  moshemo@raanana.muni.il.

Mayor Nahum Hofree:  “We hope that we will not need to use the emergency system during real time in Raanana; however, the municipality takes all precautions and prepares itself in advance for any scenario, to provide the best solutions for its residents.”