The Israel Fire and Rescue Services (Hebrew: שירותי כבאות והצלה, Sherutei Kaba'ut VeHatzala) is the Israeli state organization for fire fighting and rescuing. The organisation also provides rescue services from terror attacks, car accident and dangerous substance spillages, along with Magen David Adom, the National EMS. They are also involved in public education and awareness campaigns. The service is accessed by calling 102 from any phone. As of 2010, the director of the services is Shimon Romach.
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There are 24 metro regions that have central major fire stations with supplemental smaller stations in neighboring villages and cities. The Israel Fire and Rescue Services consists of about 1,200 paid, professional fire fighters along with an additional 200-400 "fire-scout" volunteers. There are 6 Hazardous Materials Units in Israel, with the head Haz-mat unit based out of Petah Tikva. All stations provide auto-extrication and are equipped with the latest gear for rescue and fire suppression. Major stations have a heavy rescue unit and ladder truck company. The fire-rescue apparatus are custom built in Israel at Kibbutz Beit Alfa Industries on chassis of Mercedes-Benz, Man, Iveco, E-One, Chevrolet, and Ford modified to Israeli specifications in Israel. Most apparatus repairs and servicing is done by fire fighter/mechanics in-station, as most stations have a fully equipped mechanic garage with lifts, welding equipment, and tools.
Almost all Israeli fire fighters are certified in Hazardous Materials response and handling, many of whom are trained in the world class Hazmat facilities in Holland, and all have certifications in extrication, heavy rescue, heavy apparatus operation, wildland interface suppression, structure fire suppression and ventilation, as well as search and rescue.
A typical engine crew consists of two fire fighters for an automatic fire alarm and other non-structure fire calls, and most structure fire responses consists of two engine crews, a truck company, and a medium-duty rescue/suppression truck that also doubles as a commander's vehicle. Larger incidents may also require a communications vehicle, heavy rescue apparatus, and additional support/command units.
Their radio systems operate on a Motorola Conventional Wide Band System and most fire fighters also have beepers and/or motorola walkie-talkie phones.
After a fire in Zichron Yaakov in 1897, the first firefighting company was established by the Baron Rothschild. The company had 32 members, and equipment was brought from Paris, including pumps, hoses, ladders, axes and uniforms with shiny copper helmets and leather belts. [1]
Another company was formed in Tel Aviv in 1925 following a flood in the Brenner neighbourhood, and was based in the first dedicated fire station in the country, a shed near the police station. By Israeli independence in 1948 there were fire stations in most Jewish settlements; Petah Tikva, Jerusalem, Haifa, Hadera, Rehovot, Nahariya, Bnei Brak, Ramat Gan, Givatayim, Afula, Herzliya, Kfar Sava, Holon, Netanya and Rishon LeZion.
After the establishment of the State of Israel, fire stations were built in several other cities, including Acre and Beersheba, at Lod Airport, the oil refineries in Haifa and at the ports of Haifa and Ashdod.
The Firefighting Services Law was passed in 1959 and took effect in 1960. It established a fully professional fire fighting force, as until then, firefighters had previously been volunteers.
Israel Fire and Rescue Services operates 5 fire stations in Jerusalem. The main station is in Givat Mordechai, with branches in Romema, Wadi Joz, Givat Ram and Neve Ya'akov.[2]
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