Top officials from the U.S. and Israel met Tuesday to exchange information on common emergency management practices. Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator Craig Fugate and Maj. Gen. Yair Golan of the Israeli Defense Forces Home Front Command will also serve as co-chairs of an emergency management work group to discuss problems and issues, as well as exchange information. Here’s the announcement from FEMA:
FEMA ADMINISTRATOR FUGATE MEETS TOP ISRAELI official to discuss EMERGENCY management issues
WASHINGTON –Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Craig Fugate met today with Maj. Gen. Yair Golan of the Israeli Defense Forces Home Front Command (IDF/HFC), continuing to foster a working relationship with Israel and bolstering the exchange of information on common emergency management practices.
Administrator Fugate and Maj. General Golan will serve as co-chairs of an emergency management work group designed to discuss problems and issues and to exchange information on a variety of topics such as long-term community recovery, exercise programs, policies and procedures.
“I look forward to working with my Israeli counterpart as co-chair of an emergency management work group to improve emergency management practices in both countries,” said Fugate. “These partnerships are critical in ensuring that we are incorporating best practices and also working towards greater public preparedness.”
The IDF/HFC partners with the Israeli National Emergency Management Authority (NEMA) on emergency management issues. IDF/HFC and NEMA work with FEMA under an emergency management work stream workgroup established under a 2007 Memorandum of Understanding with DHS.
FEMA and Israel have had several exchanges of information over the past year. FEMA representatives attended the national preparedness exercise Turning Point 3 in Israel on June 1, 2009. In the past, Israel sent observers to the TOPOFF 4 national exercise in the United States, as well as personnel to participate in FEMA emergency management training.
FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.
