The remains of a 16 year-old Volunteer Firefighter who was killed in the Carmel forest fire in Israel were identified this morning (Saturday). Elad Riven, from Haifa, killed on Thursday, was a volunteer with a scout group made of students who work with the regions firefighting service. Riven was in the northern city of Afula when his mother received a phone call to alert Riven to respond to the wildfire. He left and arrived on the scene to assist the Firefighters who were working to evacuate residents of the area.
Most of the 42 victims whose lives have been claimed in the devastating wildfire perished on Thursday when a bus brought in to evacuate people got caught in the fire. The bus was carrying members of a Prison Service guards’ course who were heading to the Damon jail in order to help evacuate inmates.
On Friday, the remains of a Police Commander who was killed while on his way to rescue residents were identified. Lior Boker, age 57, was head of police operations for Israel’s northern region. Police had gathered a search party for Boker, who was thought to be missing, on Thursday. He apparently was caught in the fire while trying to identify the location of the bus of prison service guard students. As always, our condolences to all affected.
===UPDATE: ISRAELI FIRE: "Inadequate Staffing, Inadequate Equipment"
As you are aware, a massive fire continues to burn in Israel that has, so far killed 42 people and injured many more including a local Police Chief who was seriously burned. Mutual aid from dozens of Countries from the USA to Russia and almost everywhere in between, continue to respond to the fire that is expected to take a week to get under control.
In an interesting Op-Ed piece, a local newspaper writes that while the Israeli military and police are in great shape, the Israeli fire services are reportedly woefully understaffed and their equipment is lacking. Sounds like a prediction for what some cities in our Country are currently doing.
HERE is more: http://tinyurl.com/35e89ue
