Over the past eight years, kassam rockets fired by Hamas have rained on the Israeli town of Sderot. In 2006, katyushas and grad rockets fired by Hezbollah in Lebanon fell on northern Israel. These missiles land in both urban streets and open fields, threatening civilian populations, buildings and forests.
The fate of Israel's communities and forests rests in the hands of those who serve as Israeli firefighters. These courageous men and women are the first responders to any emergency, be it a terrorist bomb or rocket, car accident, forest fire or hazardous materials incident. Unfortunately, the Israeli municipal and forest fire truck fleets are aging and inadequate. And as demand and population grow, security concerns have cut national budgets. As a result, many communities, particularly smaller ones close to hostile borders, cannot afford the new equipment they desperately need.
JNF is the largest and biggest supporter in the world of Friends of Israel Firefighters and has already funded 52 compact trucks, 4 standard trucks and 1 larger truck, and has built several fire stations throughout the country. Most recently, new trucks were deployed in Beer Sheva, Western Gallil, Hadera,Yehuda and Shomron command, and Rishon Le'tzion.
Working with the Friends of Israel Firefighters, JNF is raising funds to send more trucks to communities in need. These smaller trucks, equipped with pumps and water tanks, offer a number of advantages:
- They can be easily deployed to arrive quickly at the scene in an emergency
- Four-wheel drive allows for easy access to narrow city streets and alleyways
- They are highly effective in rough terrain common to most forest areas
JNF is also providing standard-sized fire trucks to replace the aging forest fleet. These 4x4, all-terrain Mercedes trucks capable of crossing the roughest terrain, are equipped with a 4-cubic yard water container and a 79 gallon foam container, and are outfitted with the latest, state-of-the-art equipment to protect Israel's rich forest heritage.
Each standard-sized fire truck costs $350,000, and each compact truck costs $125,000. This includes the cost of building the fire engine, and all necessary inspections and modifications.
The Need
The Israeli Fire Department is short 16 more Quick Response Vehicles, a.k.a. mini-pumpers. The Fire Department also is in desperate need of infra-red cameras that help the fire fighters search for trapped people when they enter a burning house. Currently, there are only four of these cameras in the entire country; at least 21 more are needed to ensure all regional stations are equipped with these cameras. Cameras cost about $15,000 each.
We cannot allow unchecked fires to destroy Israel's identity. Please stand with JNF and Israel in defending the country and its people. Click here to donate, or call JNF at 1-888-0099 to learn more.
Get involved and Donate to Fire Trucks. For naming opportunities call your local office at 888-JNF-0099.
