When consulting the frontline command about the safest spot during a rocket siren, the unanimous response prioritizes standard shelters in buildings.
What if there is no shelter?
Older buildings can lack shelters or emergency rooms. In such cases, the best option is a windowless concrete stairwell.
Conversely, Eran Siv, chairman of the Renovation Contractor Union in Israel, warns against bathrooms and toilets as the most dangerous places during an attack. Porcelain can turn into sharp objects, and shattered mirrors pose additional risks.
Furthermore, experts advise lying down with closed legs and hands on the head when in an open area during an alarm. Drivers are urged to pull over to the side of the road and distance themselves from the vehicle, as gasoline may ignite, leading to potential injuries.
In some building, shelters have been inactive
However, a critical issue in 2023 is the inactivity of most shelters. Thousands of housing estates built to accommodate aliyah in Israel’s early decades remain untouched by urban renewal. Bureaucracy, tenant reluctance, and a lack of financial interest hinder progress, especially in the periphery where dangers loom.
