Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan is calling to wave the fee for citizens who phoned Israel’s Fire Service during the recent waves of fires that began last week. Erdan explained “The State of Israel is now facing a new front, not an easy one, fires and arson around the country. In the current budget I have included a budget which I hope will contribute towards eliminating fees for calling the fire service. We must do what we can to ease the burden on those who called the fire service and not burden them with additional payments for the service at this time”.

Erdan has ordered the relevant persons in his office and fire service to work to eliminate the fees charged for the fire service but this has yet to be put into effect.

Under the current situation, if one calls the fire service one is required to pay even if one calls the service for a property one does not own. This fee can range between several hundred and thousands of shekels which are dependent on a number of parameters.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)