Resident's Preparation for States of Emergency

Just as it is important to know and be familiar with the Municipality's operations and preparations for a state of emergency, you should also be aware of your personal responsibility as a resident of the city to prepare yourself and your family for a state of emergency.

What should you do now, ahead of time?

  • Call the 106 Plus Hotline and find out:
  • Which City Quarter Administration you belong to, its address and how they can be contacted by phone
  • Which public bomb shelters and parkings as protected spaces are located near your home
  • Prepare the shared bomb shelter in your apartment building. A shared bomb shelter is defined as a private bomb shelter- it is for your use and it is your responsibility to ensure its readiness for a state of emergency. Detailed instructions can be found on the Home Front Command website.
  • Prepare the protected room in your apartment and ascertain that it complies with protected room standards.  Make sure the room has an emergency kit that contains a radio and enough food and water for the number of people who live in the apartment/house
  • Explain the rules of emergency behavior to your children and/or elderly parents. Verify that they know how to reach the protected space/private or public bomb shelter/stairwell. Drill these behaviors with them
  • Contact the Home Front Command hotline or visit the Home Front Command website and read the "Family Plan" instructions that should be activated during a state of emergency.
  • Make sure you have a gas mask kit and act according to the instructions issued by the Home Front Command

What should you do if missiles are fired at the city?

After hearing a siren or an explosion, enter the closest protected space within 90 seconds (the designated amount of time for people who are in Tel Aviv-Yafo).

You must follow the instructions below when a siren is heard:

  • If you are inside a building- enter the pre-chosen protected space within 90 seconds and close all doors and windows
  • If you are outdoors- enter a nearby building within 90 seconds. If no buildings are nearby, lie down on the ground and protect your head with your hands
  • If you are in a vehicle- pull over to the side of the road, get out of the vehicle and enter a nearby building or shelter. If you are unable to reach a building or shelter within 90 seconds, get out of the vehicle, lie down on the ground and protect your head with your hands. If you are unable to get out of the vehicle, pull over to the side of the road and wait 10 minutes
  • Listen to instructions broadcasted in the media
  • Wait 10 minutes- and only then leave the protected space, unless the instructions issued by the Home Front Command in the media say otherwise
  • It is important to keep a distance from unidentified objects or a rocket lying on the ground. In such a case, keep curious bystanders away and notify the police

What should you do in the event of an earthquake?

Devastating earthquakes have occurred in our part of the world in the past and, according to experts, they will also occur in the future. Earthquakes cannot be predicted in advance, but there is little doubt that there is going to be a strong earthquake in Israel sooner or later therefor we must be prepared.

Correct behavior during an earthquake:

If you are inside a building when an earthquake occurs, find a safe place as quickly as possible in this descending order of priority:

  • An open space- if possible, leave the building immediately (within seconds) and go outside into an open space. This is especially true for if you are in a single-story building or on the ground floor of a multistory building.
  • The protected room in your apartment or the stairwell- if you are unable to go outside immediately (within seconds), quickly enter the protected room in your apartment. If your apartment has no protected room, go out into the stairwell and from there find the fastest way outside
  • After the earthquake is over, you should go outdoors into an open space (this is especially true in hi-rise buildings)

Instructions about how to protect yourself and other information can be found on the Home Front Command website

Population Assistance Sites (PAS)- in the event of an earthquake or other natural disaster, population assistance sites will be opened by the Municipality. Each PAS will provide basic services such as food and vital personal needs as well as information. They will also recruit volunteers and serve as first aid clinics, water distribution sites, and more.

What should you do in the event of a Tsunami tidal wave?

A Tsunami is a massive tidal wave that may occur following a significant earthquake within the Mediterranean Sea area. A Tsunami might hit coast-line built cities such as Tel-Aviv- Yaffo, causing major damages.

A Tsunami tidal wave can be discerned by a preceding earthquake and also by a rapid ebb tide. In case of such an event, you should:

  • leave the coast line immediately, move to at least 1 km inland and listen carefully to the instructions given by the municipality through its PA systems along the coast line.
    In the Yarkon river vicinity, you should move 1 km south or north, based on the river bank you are situated on
  • If no option for moving in-land is possible, it is recommended to climb the nearest building up to the 4th floor and above
  • Returning to the beach or coast-line in the 12 hours after the earthquake is ill-advised and may be life-threatening

Q&A

Where can I get municipal information regarding the Covid-19 (Corona) virus effects?
In accordance with the ongoing events and adhering to the guidelines outlined by the Ministry of Health, the municipality is preparing for the continuous provision of services. More information can be found here.

Where can I get instructions regarding what to do in the various emergencies that might happen in the city?
Instructions regarding what to do in the various emergencies will be announced in the media (Television, radio, social media, etc.), according to the ongoing events. We advise you to listen to the national and local media and follow the instructions given.
Feel free to contact at any time Tel-Aviv-Jaffa's 106 Hotline and the Home Front Command Hotline 104.

Why is it necessary to get prepared now? Surely there will be enough time to get ready before a war actually starts

States of emergency, in general, and wars, in particular, can occur without having time to prepare beforehand. Therefore, the best time to get ready is today, in normal times. The preparations are few and simple and can save lives.


What exactly am I supposed to do today?

There are a number of steps you should take:

Knowing the time you have for reaching a protected space after a siren is heard

Choosing your preferred protected space, based on the amount of time you have in order to reach it. Information about warning times can be found on the Home Front Command's website, Facebook page or by calling its 104 Hotline

Preparing the needed equipment for the protected space

Familiarizing yourself with the protection instructions pertaining to different types of emergency situations

Preparing a family emergency plan

Making a plan for how to help the elderly and persons with special needs

How should I prepare my protected space?

  1. Make sure that the size of the space and the number of seats/places to lie down that it has are commensurate with the number of people who will be using it
  2. If it has shutters, close them
  3. Recommended equipment for a protected space:

  • Means of communication that will enable you to receive updates (computer, TV, radio)
  • 4 liters of water in closed bottles for each person per day; it is advisable to prepare water for three days
  • Food in closed packages, such as canned goods or snacks
  • Emergency lighting or a flashlight and batteries
  • First aid kit
  • Fire extinguisher
  • List of emergency phone numbers and phone numbers of family members and neighbors
  • Items that will make your stay in the protected space more pleasant, such as games, newspapers or books
  • Copies of important documents, medical records, prescriptions for regular medications, IDs and financial documents 


How can I find out where my protected space is?


Go to the Home Front Command's website and after entering your address, you will receive the name of your protected area and the number of your warning area

The public bomb shelter is locked and no one can find the key. Who should I contact?

The local authority will open the bomb shelters only in times of emergency and if instructed to do so by the Home Front Command. In normal times, most of the public bomb shelters will remain locked, apart from bomb shelters that are used for various purposes (e.g. as synagogues and other purposes)
 

How should I choose my preferred protected space?

Every apartment and building have their own protected spaces:

  1. A protected room or stairwell
  2. A bomb shelter in the building which you can reach within the designated amount of time for your area after a siren is heard
  3. The most enclosed space in your apartment

    You should choose a space that you can reach within the designated amount of time for your area after a siren is heard; the space must have as few outer walls as possible and as few windows and openings as possible. If you are unable to find such a space, you can choose an inner corridor or entranceway.

    Do not choose a space that has large glass windows or whose walls are covered with mirrors or glass, such as bathrooms, because they can shatter due to a blast.
  4. If you live on the top floor of a building, you should go out into the stairwell (provided that it is inside the building) and go down one floor: if you live in a three-story building, go down one floor, or go down two floors if you live in a building that has more than three floors
  5. If you are in a single-story building, lock yourself in an inner room; it is advisable to go to a public bomb shelter near where you live or where you are a few hours after an incident occurs, if possible
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