Siren testing is scheduled to take place in Ashkelon on Tuesday between the hours of 9:00am-1:00pm. The new system hopes to limit the sounding of sirens to an area in a rocket’s range rather than a general siren throughout the entire city as is the case today. The new system would announced “30 seconds to take cover, 20 seconds to take cover, 10 seconds to take cover”.

Following an attack, a siren would also sound to mark the end of an incident, permitting people to leave bomb shelters and safe rooms.

IDF Homefront Command personnel will be deployed throughout the city during the testing to evaluate the effectiveness of the warning system.

Homefront Command Southern Commander Colonel Eitan Yitzchak explains the testing is to determine the system’s ability to alert residents in a small area rather than activating the entire city’s system. It is part of the lessons learned from Operation Cast Lead he explains.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)