Israel's emergency services are continuing to run regular drills simulating rocket attacks from Iran. At the Weizmann Center, a three-building complex in the heart of Tel Aviv containing a shopping mall, medical clinics, restaurants and offices, ambulance and fire services carried out an exercise on Thursday morning simulating a large-scale evacuation of the center, which is adjacent to Tel Aviv's Sourasky Medical Center, Israel's second-largest hospital, and close to the Defense Ministry's Kirya headquarters, the Ayalon Highway and a train station. The exercise, which simulated a fire breaking out on the 11th floor of the office block and spreading to the floor above, started at 9 a.m. Thursday, with the rush-hour timing selected on purpose to fully simulate a possible attack occurring at a busy time of day. The drill brought together all the emergency services that would be mobilized in the event of a rocket attack by Iran or another hostile entity against Israel. The nearby cities of Holon and Bat Yam also held an emergency exercise overnight, simulating a rocket strike on the beachfront promenade in Bat Yam. Emergency services drilled a strike on the promenade, just south of Tel Aviv, with the "wounded" then evacuated to a stadium in nearby Holon for treatment. Israel's new Homefront Defense Minister, Avi Dichter, made his first visit to Israel's northern front on Tuesday. Dichter, who took over the portfolio on Aug. 16, was briefed by representatives from the northern and Haifa districts on the area's level of preparedness for a potential war. He was told that 82 of the 94 local authorities in the area already have emergency operations centers that can coordinate activities during wartime. Some 54 homefront and emergency exercises have been carried out in the north to drill operational readiness. The tour also highlighted the many problems in the level of preparedness in Arab communities in the north. There is virtually no coordination between the Homefront Command and the town of Umm al-Fahm. Earlier this month, Israel tested a new emergency text messaging system which sent messages to citizens' mobile phones. The test, which would be used in tandem with the countrywide siren system, was only partially successful, with many citizens not receiving any notifications, while others received several. In addition, the army's Homefront Command carries out weekly tests of the air raid alarm in different parts of the country to ensure that the systems are in proper working order.
Just in case? Emergency drills carried out in center of country
Large-scale exercise in heart of Tel Aviv simulates fire on 11th floor of central office block, near major hospital, bringing together all emergency services • Nearby cities of Bat Yam and Holon simulate rocket attack and evacuation of wounded to stadium.
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