In preparation for an escalation of violence due to threats by Hezbollah, Magen David Adom conducted a three-day exercise aimed at preparing for a potential war in the north, including the possibility of electricity outages.

The exercise simulated multi-casualty incidents in the northern and Sharon regions and focused on using satellite communication equipment. MDA’s Blood Services also practiced procedures for emergency blood donations.

MDA teams on the ground and at its emergency dispatch center conducted the drill in coordination with the Israel Police, IDF, Home Front Command, Fire and Rescue, local emergency teams, and municipal authorities.

One scenario involved a simulated rocket strike on a building in a northern kibbutz. MDA teams arrived at the scene with extensive resources including ambulances, MICUs, Medicycles, a Unimog with off-road capabilities, and an intensive care bus. The first responders to the simulated event were the emergency team from Kibbutz Afek, trained as part of MDA’s “Emergency Teams Project,” a joint project with MDA, Home Front Command, the Ministry of Health, and local government aimed at providing medical emergency responses within the community to save lives during emergency situations.

After the simulated scene was “cleared” by police bomb disposal experts, MDA and Fire and Rescue teams practiced how they would provide medical care for 50 casualties.

In addition to satellite equipment, MDA has already purchased generators for its stations throughout the country, so that computers at the dispatch centers can continue to track the needs on the ground in case of electrical outages. MDA is also working with Israel’s Ministry of Health to catalogue all patients who rely on ventilator support. In the event of a power outage, they will be transported to shelters with sufficient generator capacity to power ventilators.

“We at MDA wake up every morning and ask ourselves how we can make sure we are better prepared for any emergency,” said MDA Chief of Staff Uri Shacham, “because when MDA is prepared, the State of Israel is more resilient.”