Ministries team up for harsh weather exercise

Authorities will conduct nationwide drills on December 10 and 11 to deal with extreme weather scenarios.

Storm Suit is being run by the Public Security Ministry, in collaboration with the IDF, Israel Police, Prisons Service, Fire and Rescue Services and the Interior Ministry as well as other bodies.

The exercise includes scenarios for extreme wintry conditions that will test the efficiency of interorganizational competence and the level of national preparedness in responding to such weather.

On Wednesday, a field exercise will take place at kibbutz Kiryat Anavim simulating the collapse of guest facilities. The scenario will be led by the police, with the participation of Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan, the deputy police commissioner and other officials.

Later that afternoon, another exercise will take place at the Shlomo Group Arena in Tel Aviv with Erdan and Internal Affairs Minister Arye Deri, during which a situational assessment and review will be conducted by the Interior Ministry’s director of emergency services, the head of the police and other bodies involved.

The Environmental Protection Ministry released a report last week during a UN Climate Change Conference in Madrid detailing the impact of climate change on Israel’s climate, and projected future natural disasters. The report focuses on four climate trends expected to negatively impact the country: higher temperatures, higher humidity, rising sea levels and more extreme weather fluctuations.