With the return to fighting in the south and the possibility of renewed combat on the northern front, the Fellowship has donated fire-fighting trailers worth over one and a half million shekels to local authorities along the northern confrontation line.
The trailers were presented in a ceremony held in Kfar Vitkin and handed over to the security officers of the authorities of Metula, Mevo'ot HaHermon, Mateh Asher, Shlomi, Ma’ale Yosef, Upper Galilee, Merom HaGalil, and the Golan. In addition, a fully equipped fire-fighting trailer was also given to the Eshkol Regional Council in the south of the country.
The difficult reality in the north over the past year, where dozens of fires have broken out daily due to rocket and UAV fire on northern communities, required a creative solution to assist the authorities in providing a quick and accessible fire-fighting response.
Therefore, the Fellowship decided to grant 10 fire-fighting trailers with a large capacity to the authorities on the northern frontline. These trailers, which can be connected to an armored vehicle, were specially produced according to the Fellowship’s requirements. The security officers of the northern frontline authorities are the first responders in cases where rockets and UAVs strike civilian areas.
To help them respond immediately and without fear for their safety, the Fellowship provided them with armored vehicles, to which they can now attach the fire-fighting trailers containing a massive amount of water. Each trailer holds 2,000 liters of water—two-thirds the capacity of a standard fire engine (compared to 750 liters in existing trailers). The trailer is also equipped with a pump, fire hoses, and additional fire-fighting equipment.
In an emergency fire situation, the trailers will serve as a force multiplier for fire engine crews. Detecting and handling the fire at its early stage is critical for controlling and extinguishing it. Their availability in the field and the fact that their response time is very fast will significantly reduce the time until firefighting begins. Additionally, they will provide a solution for extinguishing small fires, which sometimes cannot be addressed due to the focus on a larger fire in the area or multiple ignition points. Moreover, the armored vehicles with the trailers offer protection to the crew arriving at the scene, which is often under threat of further fire, unlike fire engines that are not protected against gunfire and therefore cannot reach the scene while fighting continues in the area.
President of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, Yael Eckstein: “The fires that broke out as a result of the attacks in the north are one of the harshest and most painful consequences of the war. The donation of this unique fire-fighting equipment, as a supplement to the armored vehicles, will allow for a change in the reality in the north should we be forced to return to combat. It will also help during the dry summer routine and undoubtedly save homes, property, and thousands of dunams of Israeli land from fire—and even prevent injuries and loss of life. The Fellowship will continue to provide increased support during this period in all matters related to security and emergency preparedness, just as we have done since the beginning of the war.”