The largest Homefront Command drill ever held in Israel,  came to a successful completion this Thursday. The drill included a number of simulated attacks by unconventional and chemical weapons in different points throughout country.

The drill, that began Sunday, was headed by the newly established National Emergency Authority, which was created after conclusive findings about the Second Lebanon War and as part of the IDF’s 2008 work plan. In addition to this week’s drill, the Homefront Command announced a drill to be conducted beginning next week. “At this time it is possible to see that the population has responded positively to the drills,” said GOC of the Homefront Command, Major General Yair Golan. ”The drills provide an extra level of efficiency and preparedness for any possible future emergency  situations.”
One of the last stages of the drill was held Thursday morning in the Bnai Brak community of Kiryat  Herzog. Hundreds of rescue forces, including MDA medics, Israeli police officers, firefighters and Homefront Command rescue teams took part in the drill which simulated a chemical missile attack. Working in cooperation with the local authorities and the Interior Ministry, the forces secured the area of the attack, set up decontamination area, tended to the injured and evacuated people in the area to safety.

Another drill was held in the HaEmek hospital in Afula. The northern Israeli hospital which has experience,  treating  hundreds of civilians during the Second Lebanon War, was the only hospital to take part in the national drill and is fully prepared in the case of a chemical weapons attack. Homefront Command forces and the Hospital’s military unit, conducted a drill in the hospital, simulating the decontamination of hundreds injured  in a chemical attack. “The challenge this week was to have the local authorities and the Homefront Command work together and to assess the results,” said the Homefront Command’s Medical Commander, Colonel Dr. Ariel Bar. “Our second goal  was to conduct a drill on the field, with the help of medical organizations most of which took part in today’s drill. The drill was a great success in those two aspects as well as in implementing the findings from the Second Lebanon War.”