Instructing civilians for emergency situations. Archive Photo: Home Front Command

More Articles Reserve Medical Divisions Positioned in the South Operation Cast Lead Continues: IAF and IN Forces Strike Hamas IDF Opens Border Crossing for Humanitarian Aid Transfer to Gaza The Medical Corps Sends Medical Supplies to the South Operation Cast Lead Continues In The Gaza Strip Emergency Instructions for Southern Israel: In Effect Immediately All Articles

The citizens of Beer Sheva are now also preparing for the possibility of rockets being fired at their city.  In light of Hamas’ increased rocket range that now includes additional areas beyond the cities within the 30 km range from the Gaza Strip, the Home Front Command is instructing the citizens of Beer Sheva, Gedera, Yavne, and their neighboring cities to follow the directions for preparing a protected room and to act in accordance with safety guidelines at the sound of an alarm or an explosion.

If rockets should be fired at the aforementioned cities, a siren will be activated for a minute and a half. Upon hearing the sound of the siren or an explosion, the citizens should enter a protected building within one minute and stay inside for five minutes, unless instructed otherwise.

The Home Front Command forbids residents from gathering at rocket attack sites and orders them to stay away from unidentifiable objects or rockets lying on the ground.

The preparation of the protected rooms must be carried out according to the following guidelines: Firstly, one should check as to whether or not there is a safe room in his/her apartment or building.  If such facilities are not available, a protected space with the least amount of exterior walls, windows and other openings should be chosen. Inhabitants of the top floor without a protected room in their apartment are instructed to move to the staircase and go down one floor. The last option, if it is not possible to use one of the first two options, is to reach a bomb shelter within a minute after hearing the siren.

On Monday (Dec. 29) afternoon, a special meeting will be held on the topic of education in the areas currently under rocket attack; all schools in cities within the range of 20 km from the Gaza Strip have been closed until further notice. The commander of the southern regions of the Home Front Command, Col. Eytan Yitzhak, points out that “the meeting will be intensive and we will involve all of the relevant people and personnel in order to make the best decision possible.”

The proclamation of the emergency situation in the south also affects the respective departments of the Home Front Command, which is preparing the residents of the relevant areas for emergencies and instructing them on how to stay safe. “This week we are strengthening and implementing our latest guidelines. Military presence helps the civilians,” explains Col. Yitzhak.