1. The Minister of Public Security together with the ministry's Director General, have expressed their vision of transforming the firefighting service to a national alignment, much like the police and the IPS. Do you share their vision?
The change derives from the government ruling, made in January 2011, to establish a national firefighting alignment- a process that is scheduled to be complete by January 2013. As part of this ruling, the Firefighting and Rescue alignment was transferred from the Ministry of Interior to the authority of the Ministry of Public Security. This transfer improves the coordination between the ministry and other parallel security systems, thus generating change in the work environment. The ministry has operational evidence of being the most adequate to improve the system. At the end of the process, the training that firefighters undergo will be unified and it would be possible to add more manpower that would increase the prevention and supervision authorities. The transformation process is not new. During the last 15 years, the need to improve the issue of Crisis and Rescue and to treat it on a national level has increased. Following the Carmel fire, the issue has received the necessary boost, and it is optimistically recommended to bring forward the date of change for a national system, as believe it could be done by as early as October 2012.
2. What changes are being done to the firefighting alignment these days?
The firefighting alignment is undergoing many changes, and I will mentioned the main ones: for the past seven months, the Firefighting and Rescue Services have been cooperating with the Air Force, following the foundation of the Firefighting Squadron in commemoration of Elad Riven- the fire scout, who was killed in the Carmel fire. The Squadron was established following the fire, out of the need to provide effective aerial fire extinguishing in real time. The work is done with the aid of the IDF and allows for a successful and professional extinguishing; while at the same time shortening the reaction time, receiving data, and estimating the scope of the fire. The unit provides a substantial contribution to the prevention of forest fires and fires in open spaces. An Operations Division was also established within the commission, which operates a Control System in charge of coordinating mutual aid, executing drills, and increasing the Firefighting Services' operational Capacity.
250 new firefighters have been recruited, some of whom have already graduated from the Firefighters' Course and some are undergoing the training as we speak. The National Firefighters' School has undergone thorough reconstruction, and an annual training program has been set.
3. What has changed following the Carmel fire, in terms of the lessons learned and the insights you have gained?
Out of the understanding that firefighters face physical difficulties in arriving at certain places due to complex topographic conditions, trees that grow on main roads that lead to rural communities are being cut and the roads are being cleared. New roads are also being paved; a fire hindering substance has been purchased at an amount that is 10 times larger than the one we had prior to the Carmel fire; and we have increased our cooperation with the Mekorot infrastructure firm, as a result of which- 19 new water filling locations have been installed at entrances to forests.
In addition, 90 new vehicles, cranes, and designated vehicles for forest fires have been purchased; as well as light shielding equipment, which allows firefighters to be highly mobile, and to work with innovative technological systems in order to communicate with the vehicles and locate them in real time.
Finally, extensive and professional work is being done to minimize the existing gap. We are already in the midst of the process, and I believe that it is an appropriate response to the State Comptroller's report on the issue.
4. How do you see the relationship with the firefighting volunteers' alignment?
The Fire Scouts' alignment is currently growing. New and designated equipment has been purchased for them, and youth clubs have been established, which provide a pleasant environment for them while they are at the station. Furthermore, there also exists an alignment of adult volunteers, which currently contains 300 people, who have undergone professional training and who are already operating in the West Bank, at Kfar Chabad, and at the Karmey Yoseph area. We are working towards expand the volunteer operation to additional areas in the south and north of Israel. I believe it is important to both maintain and further the relationship between the firefighting services and the community, and recruiting new volunteers is a part of that.
5. What future plans can we expected to see at the alignment?
We plan on building an experiential center for visitors on school grounds, which combines professional contents with fun physical activities on the issue of fire and its prevention. The center is scheduled to be opened in about two years. I estimate that this move will enhance the relationship with the public as a whole, and particularly the relationship with teens. The national school will gain a state-of-the-art training facility (simulator) that will allow the training of firefighters at several outlines of fire and rescue. Furthermore, I also believe that the alignment would progress towards doubling the number of firefighters, expanding its distribution, and increasing the field of prevention and the awareness of it; all in order to mutually maintain a sense of security among us all.