Israel is dangerously ill-prepared for a hazardous material event in wartime, which could potentially cost thousands of Israelis their lives, the latest report by State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman has found.
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Thousands of hazardous material storage facilities are scattered nationwide, some in close proximity to population centers. These facilities are considered strategic infrastructure and as such, they are under threat. Any damage to these facilities, however, could spell thousands of fatalities, cripple the economy's functional continuity, and cut off major highways.
The level of risk in the event of a hazardous materials incident is determined according to Protective Action Criteria for Chemicals (PACs), which has three levels, each based on three common public exposure guideline systems: Acute Exposure Guideline Levels (AEGLs), Emergency Response Planning Guidelines (ERPGs), and Temporary Emergency Exposure Limits (TEELs). A particular hazardous substance may have values in any – or all – of these systems.
Once a situation assessment has been made, a hazardous material incident is categorized as one of three: PAC-1 – mild, transient health effects; PAC-2 – irreversible or other serious health effects that could impair the ability to take protective action; and PAC-3 – mortal danger or life-threatening health effects.
The IDF Home Front Command believes that 1.3 million Israelis live in PAC-2 and PAC-3 areas, and 3.2 million reside in PAC-1 areas. Englman's report, issued earlier this month, has found that "despite the various threat scenarios hazardous material storage facilities face in a time of war, the IDF's Planning Directorate, National Emergency Authority, and Environmental Protection Ministry have failed to produce full contingency plans."
Moreover, the comptroller has found that the National Cyber Directorate and the Environmental Protection Ministry have not addressed the issue of potential cyber threats facilities that are not classified as critical infrastructure face.
Englman has found that the Environmental Protection Ministry has received hundreds of requests from facilities requesting to update the quantities or nature of the materials they store and that these permits were renewed without the ministry receiving any reference from the Home Front Command.
The lack of information-sharing between the ministry and the Home Front Command regarding such facilities' inventory may prevent a real-time update of the HFC regarding the quantities or nature of the hazardous material stored in any given facility, which could, in turn, impact HFC emergency assessments," he ruled.
Regarding the establishment of a national hazardous material administration, the audit revealed that although a pilot on the issue was launched in 2019, it has not yet been completed, nor has a timetable for its completion been set.
According to the data published by the comptroller, as of November 2020, the average training HFC battalions receive in dealing with hazardous materials amounts to 78% of the required qualification. It was also found that six out of nine fire stations nationwide that have hazmat units do not meet the set training target.
Moreover, the average response time by the Fire and Rescue Services to a hazmat incident is 15 minutes – seven minutes longer than the global standard, and the equipment the department has to deal with such events falls short of meeting the needs such incidents present.
The Defense Ministry issued a statement saying, "In 2016, the government approved a five-year reference scenario [for hazmat issues], until 2021. Over the past year, the National Emergency Authority has formulated an up-to-date war scenario for 2022-2026.
"This scenario was approved by the Ministerial Committee for Home Front Readiness in November 2021, as was a reference scenario for national riots and fires, put together by the Public Security Ministry. The National Emergency Authority is currently working to present the scenario to all government ministries and designated authorities, and this process is slated to be a procedure that will be completed by the end of the first quarter of 2022."
The IDF Spokesperson's Unit said, "The Home Front Command considers the handling of hazardous materials to be of great importance, and is working to implement the recommendations listed in the comptroller's report, subject to existing resources and priorities to be determined.
"At the same time, it is important to emphasize that the Home Front Command's main preventive readiness for any damage hazardous materials facilities may suffer in wartime is reflected in the physical protection of high-level hazmat holders, of which 99% are protected. That was not reflected in the report.
"The Home Front Command periodically evaluates its protection policy in accordance with the changing nature of threats and takes the necessary actions to improve its response. The Home Front Command also continuously strives to strengthen and improve relations and cooperation with all relevant parties."
As for the issue of hazmat training, the IDF said that "since the beginning of 2021 all regular and reserves battalions have been following a training program under the rigorous supervision of all relevant bodies, with the aim of keeping ever-ready to deal with hazardous material incidents. Any gaps [in training] will be rectified over the next two years and the Home Front Commands lend this issue great importance.
"Home Front Command deployment with respect to civil defense, coordination and cooperation with the other relevant bodies was reflected in Operation Guardian of the Walls, the results of which showed a high level of readiness, without significant gaps, and the HFC is looking into additional protection methods as part of its desire to keep up with technological developments," the statement concluded.
"It should be noted that in a joint meeting of the Home Front Command with the Environmental Protection Ministry, it was decided to build a joint information system, granting hazmat permits only after consulting with the ministry, and providing an emergency response by recruiting ministry inspectors."
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