After being hit with hundreds of rockets during the Second Lebanon War, it appears that Haifa Mayor Yonah Yahav is not taking any chances amid reports of stepped-up Syrian military action threatening Israel. The mayor has stepped-up the state of preparedness for relative city agencies.

The city’s war situation room is operating and there is frequent communications with IDF Homefront Command officials towards remaining abreast of the situation vis-à-vis the Syrian threat. The city’s emergency services, including police, fire and Magen David Adom have been instructed to move to heightened operational preparedness. Messages have been sent to petrochemical plants to take measures to protect volatile substances as much as possible; to review emergency procedures with the appropriate staff members and to inspect and refresh emergency equipment.

Similar measures are taking place in the city’s public schools, as officials are checking and preparing shelters and sending information sheets with students. Contact was made with major youth organizations as well; as City Hall wishes to be as prepared as possible should the situation escalate to war chas v’sholom.

The city has launched it new underground situation room, which was built to withstand an attack involving non-conventional weaponry.

Yahav told the media that City Hall learned its lessons in the last war, explaining the residents of the city have and will turn to City Hall for a response when an emergency situation arises and therefore, he is not waiting until the IDF declares an emergency but prefers to take measures in advance based on the daily news and growing tensions along the border between Israel and Syria.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)