Israel's Military Hosts Large-Scale Search and Rescue Drill, Sharpen Life-Saving Skills

JERUSALEM, Israel – For the first time in more than two years, Israel’s military is hosting a large-scale exercise through its search and rescue unit. The IDF invited the US and other international participants to be a part.

The exercise began with the simulation of a building collapse, similar to what happened in the Miami condominium disaster in June 2021.

“The significance of this exercise is implementing the integrated, intelligence concept of our unit,” said Res. Col. Golan Vach, Commander of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Search and Rescue unit. 

As part of the exercise, the Search and Rescue unit sought to rescue 100 people. In this simulation, one of the groups extracted, five people in 24-26 hours. According to Vach, Israel pulled out 60 in the same amount of time because of the unique tools they use.

“Israel has, a unique, role to play, in the international field by bringing the speed and the Israeli IDF capabilities. We are part of the Israel Defense Forces, and we rely on its resources and by using the Israel Air Force, by using the IDF intelligence, by using Israel's special units combined with our search and rescue capabilities we bring something very special to the table,” Vach said.

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Representatives from international rescue organizations including the US, Panama, Mexico, and Germany joined about 400 Israeli military personnel including doctors, engineers, rescuers and more. 

To keep the exercise as realistic as possible, professional actors portrayed relatives searching for their loved ones and even the smell of rotting flesh was added.

“Israel sees a great value to save lives everywhere, every time to each person that is in trouble. Each one of the men and women in my unit are most dedicated to the mission,” Vach said.

Israeli rescuers can reach anywhere in the world in 12 hours. They also helped in Miami and Vach says the biggest challenge there came in helping surviving family members.

“We needed to support them during this mission by knowing that their relatives are already dead and we could not tell them that we found them. Living with these families for 14 days was the most difficult thing that we faced in Miami,” he said.

Overall, he says the most rewarding thing is knowing they are saving lives.

“You are dealing with the most precious things in the world is saving live people, saving the families by finding their loved ones, and feeling that we represent this organization, the Israel Defense Force, the State of Israel and, you are doing that well,” he said.

It makes us proud to wear the Israeli flag on our arms when we are walking in Mexico, Albania, Honduras, Nepal, Haiti, you name it,” he added.

Vach calls it a privilege to participate in these exercises, share what they know and learn from others while sharing the value of saving lives.