As war continues to ravage the Gaza Strip, firefighters have played a large role in the conflict. Though the Israeli Fire Service is still in its infancy, their officers have been tasked with maintaining the safety of Israeli citizens at a critical time in the country’s history. While explosions boom along the southern border, close enough to see with the naked eye, seemingly unphased firefighters remain steadfast in fulfilling their duties. Halfway around the world, the Beverly Hills Fire Department (BHFD) knew they had to help. With funding from the Beverly Hills Fire Department Foundation—namely Board Chair Marc Ackerman and Board Member Dr. William Binder—a team of four firefighters made their way to Israel to learn, educate and offer resources. But what they believe will stick with them the most as they continue to serve Beverly Hills, is the empathy they gained by learning to walk in someone else’s shoes.
BHFD arrived in Israel on Sept. 2 and returned home on Sept. 10. Over a seven-day period, they fostered new relationships with the Israeli Fire Service, visited Beverly Hills’ sister city, Herzliya, attended a meeting with the Fire Department Command Team and watched a presentation on the Emergency Command Center. After learning about the responsibilities of firefighters in Israel, BHFD shared information about their efficiency practices and their responsibility to be medically trained as well. The main goal was to exchange ideas so that both fire departments can learn from each other. “We went to Israel, and we shared with them the idea of a dual function firefighter,” Deputy Fire Chief Alfred Poirier told the Courier. “The idea that not only is it more economically feasible, but from an operational perspective, having a fire department that provides medical services and has medical training as well is probably a better option.”
