The siren in Israel does not sound “just in case”: it means that a missile or drone is flying into your area, and you have from a few seconds to a minute and a half to take cover. Below are the rules of the Rear Command, retold in Russian and without unnecessary words.

How much time do you have

In most areas of the center of the country - 90 seconds. Closer to the borders it’s less: 60, 45, 30 or 15 seconds, but in border villages you need to take cover immediately. The Home Front Command app shows the exact time for your address - set it on the first day and turn on alerts for your area. Times by city and major shelters are on our shelters page.

Home

  • There is a mamad (protected room) - go in, close the steel door and shutter window. This is the best option.
  • Mamad is not there - go down to the common miklat at home, if there is one and it is open.
  • There is neither one nor the other - go out onto the staircase: away from the windows, not on the top floor, not on the first floor if there are many floors above you. An interior room without windows is also suitable.
  • Do not stand by the window or go out onto the balcony to “look.”

On the street

Go into the nearest building and go down the stairwell or into the shelter. If there is no building within time limits, lie down on the ground and cover your head with your hands. Under a tree or against a wall is better than in an open place.

In the car and on the bus

Stop at the side of the road, get out and take shelter in the building. If there is no shelter nearby, move away from the car and lie down on the ground. The bus will stop on its own, the driver will open the doors: get out and take cover. You cannot stay in the car: it does not protect against fragments.

At work

At a factory, warehouse and construction site, the employer is obliged to show the shelter and provide instructions. If they didn’t show it to you, ask on the first day, this is a normal question. At a construction site, sirens sound and people leave from heights and scaffolding.

How long to wait after the siren

At least 10 minutes. The explosions you hear are most often interceptions, but the fragments continue to fall for several minutes. Leave - after 10 minutes or after the end of the application.

If you don’t have a phone with the application

The siren can be heard on the street and in most houses. If you are wearing headphones or in a noisy workshop, arrange with your colleagues to call you. TV and radio also broadcast alerts.

In advance

Find out the closest shelter to your home and work while it’s calm: it’s too late to look for it by the siren. Full lists of addresses are on the city hall website and on miklat.co.il, large shelters by city - here. If you are renting a house, look at how to choose an apartment with a protected room.