The events of October 7 sharpened the recognition that the local government and the organized community are the first responders to any multi-casualty event: in defense, rescue, rescue, medicine and civil assistance.
The local authority must rely only on itself with the understanding that in the first hours and days it is the only factor that will be around.
Black Sabbath once again illustrated the importance of local government in routine and emergency situations and the importance of the community, for a time when chaos will take over, if only temporarily.
Dozens of exercises that I commanded over the years in the local authorities as the commander of the Negev region in the Home Front Command sharpened my insight that the local government is the only line and answer to the first hours of the fighting.
The events of the Guardian of the Walls were a warning light.
Black Sabbath distilled these insights.
This is the time for new thinking, adapted to the new reality.
Israel is a long and narrow country with few axes of longitude and latitude, if they are blocked by wrongdoers - they will be opened by fire only when the seriousness of the incident becomes clear.
In any significant security threat on a large scale or one resulting from a force majeure such as an earthquake, the local government and the community are the first responders and sometimes the only ones at the beginning of the occurrence.
Outside aid will arrive in the second stage, after hours or days.
His level of professionalism, determination and ability to withstand the pressures of the leading local team in each local authority is the key to the quality and speed of the response.
What won't work in a routine won't work in an emergency.
The key positions in the local authorities should be occupied by professional, experienced people, with a creative mindset that sees several steps forward and moves away from the comfort zones.
Management should be systematic and professional, based on work plans that are evaluated based on performance and achievements.
In addition to these, instructions from the Home Front Command will be required: the establishment and practice of a civilian emergency response for the local authority in emergency situations, alongside a security system with a security plan for every scenario. Special emphasis must be given to equipped and practiced standby classes and to the structure of the authority's employees that will be reinforced in an emergency by volunteers from the community and routinely practiced.
A local authority that will prepare Accordingly, you will be able to function on the day of an order, not only in war but also in scenarios such as violent social unrest, roadblocks, ecological disaster, earthquake, huge floods, criminal incidents,
etc. The locality information, volunteering and placement in the municipal units, each according to his abilities.
The old man Hillel said: "If I am not for myself, who is for me? And when I am for myself, what am I? And if not now, what is my fear?"
This decree that has accompanied the Jewish people for many generations is true for us at the municipal level more than ever, and if not after October 7th, am I really?
The author is a colonel (res.) in the Home Front Command, until recently the head of Naut Hovav Council, previously CEO and treasurer of local authorities and CEO of municipal companies, a police officer in the Yaha and currently a candidate for the leadership of the Omer Council and the commander of the Yishuv's standby unit
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