Iran War Emergency Guide
for English Speakers

• Apply direct, firm pressure immediately. Use a cloth, shirt, or gauze. Press hard and do not stop.
• Hold pressure for at least 10 continuous minutes. Do not check. Do not peek. Releasing pressure restarts the bleeding clock.
• If the cloth soaks through — do not remove it. Layer more material on top and press harder. Removing it disturbs the clot forming underneath.
• Elevate the limb above heart level if possible (arms or legs).
• For wounds that won't stop: use an Israeli pressure bandage — wrap, press the white applicator pad directly on the wound, loop and lock.

A tourniquet is for life-threatening limb bleeding that cannot be controlled by pressure alone — arterial bleeding (bright red, spurting), or a partial/full amputation.

• Place the tourniquet 5–8 cm above the wound (between the wound and the heart). Never on a joint.
• Tighten until the bleeding completely stops. This will be painful — that's correct. Pain means it's working. If it doesn't hurt, it's not tight enough.
• Write the exact time of application on the patient's skin with a marker or any available pen. This is critical for medical staff.
• Do not remove the tourniquet. Only trained medical personnel remove it.
• Tourniquets are safe for up to 2 hours. Beyond 2 hours, tissue damage risk increases.

Penetrating chest wounds are extremely dangerous. Signs: a gurgling or sucking sound at the wound site, breathing difficulty, frothy blood.

• Cover the wound with plastic (a bag, wrap, or the tourniquet packaging). Seal 3 of the 4 sides — leave one side open as a flutter valve to allow air to escape during exhalation.
• Do not wrap tightly — the patient needs to breathe.
• Position the patient at a 45-degree angle (semi-upright, leaning on something) — this helps lung function.
• Call 101 immediately and describe the wound location.

• Apply gentle, firm pressure to scalp wounds. Head wounds bleed a lot — this is normal. Press but do not press hard on the skull itself if there's any skull deformity.
• Keep the head still. Do not tilt or move the neck — assume possible spinal injury with any head trauma from explosion.
• Check: Is the person conscious? Breathing? Responding to their name?
• If unconscious but breathing: place in the recovery position (on their side).
• Do not give food or water.
• Call 101 and stay with the person until help arrives.

• Call 101 immediately — the dispatcher will guide you through CPR in English.
• If the person is unresponsive and not breathing normally: begin CPR.
• Chest compressions: Place heel of hand on center of chest (lower half of breastbone). Push down hard — 5–6 cm depth. 30 compressions at a rate of 100–120 per minute (to the beat of "Stayin' Alive").
• Rescue breaths (if trained): 2 breaths after every 30 compressions. If untrained or unwilling: compression-only CPR is effective — keep pushing.
• Continue without stopping until MDA arrives, an AED is available, or the person begins to breathe.
• AEDs (defibrillators) are in malls, public buildings, and many street corners in Israel — follow the green AED sign.

• Cool the burn under cool (not cold) running water for 20 minutes. This is the single most important step. Do not use ice, butter, toothpaste, or any home remedies.
• Remove jewelry or clothing near the burn — swelling will occur.
• Cover with a clean, non-fluffy cloth (cling film is ideal if available — do not wrap tightly).
• Do not burst blisters.
• Call 101 for burns that: cover a large area, are on the face/hands/genitals, appear white or charred (third degree), or involve a child.

Shock is a medical emergency. Signs: pale/grey/clammy skin, rapid weak pulse, fast shallow breathing, confusion, extreme weakness, feeling faint.

• Lay the person flat (not sitting up).
• Elevate the legs 30 cm above heart level — unless suspected leg fracture or head injury.
• Keep them warm with a blanket.
• Do not give food or water.
• Call 101 immediately and report all symptoms.

The siren sounds the same regardless of threat type. What varies is what follows:

• Continuous rising and falling tone (1–2 minutes): Rocket or missile alert — get to shelter immediately
• Continuous flat long tone: All-clear — the immediate threat has passed
• Short beeps: Nuclear or chemical/biological alert — stay indoors, seal windows (this is rare)
• Hebrew loudspeaker announcements say: "צבע אדום" (Tzeva Adom = Red Color = ATTACK ALERT) followed by the city name. If you hear your city name — move.
• If you hear Hebrew but don't understand — follow what everyone around you is doing. If people run, run with them.

• MDA (101): All dispatchers can assist in English. Say "I need help, I speak English" immediately.
• Private hospitals: Assuta, Ichilov, Hadassah — all have English-speaking staff and international patient departments.
• Travel insurance: Activate travel insurance claims immediately after any incident. Keep all receipts and medical documentation.
• ISOS: International SOS +972-9-9584888 — for travel insurance holders with ISOS coverage.
• Emergency treatment at all Israeli hospitals is provided regardless of insurance or immigration status.

• Register with your embassy (STEP program for Americans, FCDO for British) — this allows your government to contact you in emergencies and potentially assist with evacuation
• Keep your original passport accessible at all times (not locked in a safe you can't reach in 60 seconds)
• Carry a photocopy or phone photo of your passport separately from the original
• If you're on a tourist visa — your visa remains valid during the emergency period. Overstay due to active conflict is not penalized.
• Know your visa status: tourist, B-1 work permit, student, Aliyah oleh. This affects your access to state services during extended situations.

This is a personal decision. Some factors to consider:

• Check your government's official travel advisory: travel.state.gov (US), gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/israel (UK), travel.gc.ca (Canada)
• Commercial flights may continue or be suspended depending on the situation. Monitor your airline and Ben Gurion Airport (TLV) status at iaa.gov.il.
• If flights are suspended, contact your embassy for evacuation assistance.
• Do not go to Ben Gurion Airport if an active alert is in progress — wait for the situation to stabilize.
• If staying — follow this guide. Israel's shelter system and defense are well-established and effective.

• "Tzeva Adom" (צבע אדום) — Alert/Red Alert. If you hear this, get to shelter.
• "Miklat / Mamad" (מקלט / ממ"ד) — Shelter / Protected room. Say this to ask for help: "Efo ha-miklat?" = "Where is the shelter?"
• "Ezer" (עזרה) — Help. Shout this loudly if you need assistance.
• "Kri'at Chutz" (קריאת חוץ) = "All clear" (you may also hear "Hasevet" = return)
• "Yesh ptzua" (יש פצוע) — There's an injured person. Say this to direct help.
• "Specialisti Anglit?" (מדבר אנגלית?) — Do you speak English?

• Register with your municipality as someone who needs evacuation assistance. Call the local municipal emergency line or dial 106 to register.
• Keep a 7-day+ supply of all medications in the Mamad at all times — refill before the expiry date.
• Pre-arrange with a neighbor or family member to check on you during alerts.
• If using a walker or cane, practice the route to the Mamad so you can do it quickly and safely.
• Hearing impairment: Get the Home Front Command visual/vibration alert app. Consider a vibrating alarm system connected to the siren.

• Pregnant women can enter and use the Mamad normally. Lying flat briefly during an alert is safe.
• Keep your prenatal records, insurance details, and hospital contact in your emergency kit.
• Know the route to the nearest hospital maternity ward — some hospitals have relocation procedures during active conflict.
• If experiencing labor during an active alert: call 101. MDA paramedics are trained to assist with emergency delivery.
• Stress during pregnancy is real — utilize the NATAL hotline (1800-363-363) for support.

• Register with your municipality for priority evacuation assistance — call 106.
• If your Mamad is not wheelchair accessible: go to the lowest accessible floor in a stairwell and protect your head. The building's multiple concrete layers still provide significant protection.
• Pre-identify neighbors who can assist you during an alert.
• Ask your building committee (va'ad bayit) about accessibility in your building's Mamak.
• Israeli law requires new public buildings to have accessible shelters — if yours isn't, report it to the municipality.

• Contact your treatment center now to arrange a generator backup and an emergency treatment plan.
• Register with the electric company (Israel Electric Corporation) as a "vital consumer" — this prioritizes restoring power to your home first during outages.
• Portable oxygen concentrators: ensure you have a fully charged backup battery and car adapter.
• Dialysis patients: your treatment center will have an emergency protocol. Get it in writing, in English, and keep it in your kit.
• MDA (101) has special response teams for medically complex patients — pre-register if possible.

• Pets are allowed in shelters in carriers or on leashes.
• Keep a pet emergency kit: food for 72 hours, water, medications, vet records, leash/carrier, familiar item for comfort.
• During an alert: bring the pet into the Mamad if they are immediately accessible. If they are not reachable — prioritize your own safety first.
• If evacuating: pets in carriers are permitted in municipal evacuation shelters.
• Microchip your pet and keep their ID tag current with your phone number.

Yes. MDA dispatchers can assist in English. When the call connects, immediately say: "I need help, I speak English." Give your address (in English), describe the emergency, and they will guide you. Do not hang up. 100 (police) and 102 (fire) also have English-capable operators.

Ask hotel staff right now (before an emergency): "Where is the shelter or protected room?" Hotels built after 1992 have protected rooms on each floor. Older hotels will direct you to the stairwell or basement. The stairwell with multiple concrete walls is always a safe option. Know the route before you need it.

All apartments built after 1992 in Israel must have a Mamad by law. Typical Mamad signs: a heavy metal blast door (usually painted gray), window shutters that seal (turn a handle), and a room that appears to have thicker walls than the rest of the apartment. If you're unsure — ask your landlord directly. If your apartment doesn't have one, locate the floor's Mamak (stairwell area, shared protected room) or the building's ground-floor shelter.

Go to shelter immediately. Don't wait for your own app to sound — alerts can be delayed depending on your app settings, phone reception, or notification permissions. If your neighbor is responding to a siren, treat it as a real alert and act accordingly. Better to spend 10 minutes in the Mamad unnecessarily than to stay exposed to a genuine threat.

Between alerts, driving is generally fine. During the Iran war, if an alert sounds while you're driving — you have approximately 4–5 minutes. Pull over safely, exit the car, and walk to the nearest building. Keep the Home Front Command app running with audio alerts, don't wear headphones while driving, and know in advance where you'll go if an alert sounds. During high-escalation periods, the Home Front Command may advise limiting movement — follow their guidance.

You can monitor real-time alerts at rocketalert.live. This shows all current alerts on a live map. Add your family's location to the Home Front Command app to receive alerts specific to their area. The most important thing you can do: ensure they have downloaded the Home Front Command app, know where their Mamad is, and have an emergency kit. Coordinate a regular check-in system (e.g., a daily WhatsApp message) so you know they're okay.

Yes. Active groups include:

• Facebook: "Anglo Olim" groups, "English Speakers in Tel Aviv/Jerusalem/Haifa" community pages
• Nefesh B'Nefesh: Support organization for North American and British olim — nbn.org.il
• Gvahim: Support for international professionals in Israel — gvahim.org
• The Jewish Agency for Israel: Support for new immigrants and temporary residents
• Most synagogues, churches, and international community centers also organize informal support during conflict periods