FAQ - The Turning Point Drill

The Turning Point Drill is a national home front drill.

It is a combined drill of the Home Front Command, the National Emergency Authority, the Israeli Police, the Emergency Economy, Magen David Adom, the Fire Department, all government ministries and the local authorities.

The purpose of the drill is to improve the readiness of the organizations and residents to coping with emergencies. Your preparedness and that of your family is key to proper coping in an emergency.

As part of the drill, we will practice some war scenarios including the landing of several types of missiles. Additionally, all of the state authorities and government ministries will be drilled, with the purpose of testing their combined actions in coordination with the National Emergency Authority.

In this drill, for the first time, the Home Front Command will request all Israeli residents to drill going into their protected spaces.

On Tuesday, June 2, at precisely 11:00 am, a practice alarm 1.5 minutes in length will be heard throughout Israel. Its pitch will fluctuate, and its purpose will be to drill the residents and test Israel’s alarm lineup. On that same Tuesday, all of the students in educational institutions (schools and kindergartens) as well as anyone present at the IDF military bases will drill going into and out of protected spaces.

It is recommended that you also drill going into your selected protected space, within the warning time frame provided in your area.

During the drill, there will not be any disruptions in public transportation. The instructions of the Home Front Command are for all essential services, including vehicle traffic, to continue as usual.

Basically, the recommendation of the Home Front Command is for everyone to participate in the drill. For those unable to do so, it is recommended to carry out partial drilling. Partial drilling is applicable to institutions / workplaces (for example, a test would not be cancelled as a result of the drill).

If partial drilling is impossible, you should at least do the minimum: when the alarm sounds, specify to your employees / students / public that in a real situation they would be required to go into their protected space within the available time frame, and wait for 10 minutes.

Under two circumstances one can avoid drilling:

1.      When the drill exposes people to unnecessary danger (for example, if you are driving a car, do not stop when the alarm sounds, but continue with the ride).

2.      In any event where stopping an activity as a result of the alarm involves major disruption to the usual routines.

The drill alarm will sound on Tuesday, at precisely 11:00 am. Its pitch will fluctuate, and it will last 1.5 minutes. It will be heard throughout Israel.

You should go into your pre - selected protected space, based on the time frame provided for your area.

Educational institutions should carry out the drill in accordance with the special instructions issued by the Ministry of Education. If those instructions have not been received, please contact the municipality’s security officer.

If going into and out of the protected space involves major disruption of everyday life, do not carry out the drill, but specify to the persons that should have been drilled, when the alarm sounds, the actions that must be taken in a real emergency: entering the protected space (which would be defined and marked in advance) and staying inside for 10 minutes.

The national home front drill was planned about one year ago, and will be conducted according to plan. The Home Front Command and the emergency and rescue organizations hold various types of drills throughout the year.

The Home Front Command recommends residents to prepare for emergency situations even it times of peace. This would include selecting the protected space and getting equipped.

No specific data exists concerning an emergency or increased alertness.

Dangers and emergencies may occur without enough time to prepare. The national home front drill is an annual drill which was planned long ago. Its purpose is to drill all Israel’s emergency and rescue organizations for emergency situations. The Home Front Command and the emergency and rescue organizations hold various types of drills throughout the year.

The Home Front Command recommends residents to prepare for various emergencies even in times of peace. This would mean selecting the protected space based on the time frame provided for reaching it and preparing it even today.

Past experience has shown that those who had prepared and knew how to handle emergencies were able to take proper action and save themselves and their families.

The Home Front Command, through several companies that had won the Ministry of Defense tender, began collecting the protection kits from the residents about one and a half years ago.

The collection and restoration will continue, and the protection kits will be returned to the residents based on the decision of higher government echelons.

The time and method of distribution will be announced as needed.

It should be noted that the protection kits’ collection has the purpose of improving the masks’ quality and effectiveness.   

We would like to emphasize that there is no specific data at hand concerning any emergencies or wars that are expected in the near future.

Preparing the population for emergencies, even in times of peace, is the most proper and most effective way to cope with emergencies when they do occur. Numerous studies conducted in Israel and overseas have demonstrated that preparing the public for proper conduct in emergencies improves their ability to cope. Additionally, studies indicate that information reduces anxiety.

The Home Front Command conducts regular training and instruction activities for the public, with the purpose of preparing them for various emergencies. The current campaign is part of this concept, and constitutes an annual operation.