United Hatzalah volunteers have been dispatched and are currently on scene at a fire that broke out in the forest surrounding the town of Givat Yearim in the Jerusalem hills. This fire is quite near the location of the previous fires that took place in the Jerusalem hills over the past two weeks. The fire is located close to the homes of residents in Givat Yearim and extends into the forest in the direction of Etanim in the Jerusalem corridor. The volunteers are providing medical coverage for firefighters who are working hard to gain control of the blaze before it reaches the town.
Moments ago, firefighters declared that they indeed got control of the blaze. United Hatzalah volunteers and ambulances are on standby ready to step in to assist in the case of injury or should the need for evacuation arise.
Ironically, earlier this morning, United Hatzalah joined the fire department, police, border police, and local security teams from the regional council of Matte Yehuda in conducting a large-scale drill that simulated a fire in the outskirts of Givat Yearim. Coordinator of Special Operations of United Hatzalah David Krispel who was at both the training drill and is overseeing operations during the current incident said: “At 7:00 a.m. this morning we began a joint training exercise with the fire department, the police, and local security services the simulated the outbreak of a large fire near the school in Givat Yearim. During the simulation, we were responsible for providing medical coverage and evacuation of the injured as well as overseeing medical coverage for the firefighters.”
Krispel continued. “Just two hours after the drill concluded, we receive an alert of a real fire right near where the drill took place. This is very near the location of the fires that burned large swaths of the forest during the past two weeks. We dispatched forces very quickly based on both our previous experiences from the recent fires as well as from the drill this morning. Firefighters responded quickly and worked hard in order to gain control of the blaze before the afternoon winds whip up the flames further. We’re working in complete partnership with the fire department and the police in order to safeguard those working to combat the blaze as well as the residents.”
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