Last update - 00:00 17/03/2008
Ashkelon to have longer warning time before rocket fall
By Yuval Azoulay and Mijal Grinberg
Beginning Monday, in the event of a rocket attack on Ashkelon, residents will have twice as much time to find shelter. The previous system allowed them a 15-second warning in advance of an attack, and the new system gives them 30 seconds.
Technological improvements and analyses of the ranges and landing times of rockets fired from Gaza have been made by the Israel Defense Forces Home Front Command since it was decided about a month ago to connect Ashkelon to the warning system, which made the additional time possible. However, residents have said that in some cases, they heard the warning at the same moment they heard the sound of the exploding missile landing.
The difficulty many residents were having hearing the "color red" warning led the Home Front Command to install a rising and falling siren, which is to sound if a rocket attack is imminent. If necessary, the system will also be put into operation in Netivot, which has become a target of the terrorists' Grad and Qassam rockets from Gaza in the recent rounds of fighting. The system installed in Netivot would also give residents a 30-second warning before a rocket lands.
The Home Front Command is to hold an exercise in Ashkelon and Netivot Monday, during which they will test the sirens. Soldiers and officers will be stationed throughout these two cities to report on the siren's sound quality in various locations. The Home Front said it wants to make sure the siren can be clearly heard everywhere.
Monday the army said the siren will be activated at 11:30 A.M. in Ashkelon and at 9:30 A.M. in Netivot where, as opposed to Ashkelon, the system will only be used once for the time being, for the exercise.
Meanwhile, Osher Twito, 8, from Sderot, whose leg had to be amputated following his injury in a Qasssam attack last month, is expected to be moved out of the intensive care unit at Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, where he has been for the past five weeks.
Following improvement in his condition, he is to be moved to the orthopedics department at Sheba. The hospital also reported improvement in the condition of Osher's brother, Rami, 18, who was injured in the same attack. However, the hospital said both boys could expect a long process of rehabilitation ahead.
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