Israeli Shelter Guide

This skill provides comprehensive guidance on finding, preparing, and using shelters in Israel during emergencies.

Israel has four types of protected spaces, each designated by a Hebrew acronym:

Since 1992, Israeli building code requires all new residential construction to include a mamad. Buildings constructed before 1992 may lack a mamad entirely.

Mamad Specifications

• Minimum size: 9 square meters (96 sq ft)
• Expanded option (2025 law): Up to 12 sq m + 3 sq m bathroom = 15 sq m total
• Walls: Reinforced concrete, minimum 20 cm thick (thicker in frontline communities)
• Door: Steel blast door rated for the region's threat level
• Window: Steel-frame window with blast shutter, must be closable from inside
• Ventilation: NBC (Nuclear, Biological, Chemical) filtration system connection point
• Standard: Israeli Standard T"Y 4422

When a siren sounds, you have a limited number of seconds to reach a protected space. This varies by proximity to threat origins:

How to check your zone: Visit the Home Front Command website (oref.org.il) and enter your location name in Hebrew or English, or use the Home Front Command app.

Option 1: Home Front Command App

• Download "Home Front Command" (פיקוד העורף) from App Store / Google Play
• Shows shelter locations near your GPS position
• Provides real-time alerts and shelter instructions

Option 2: Miklat App

• Download from miklat.app
• Community-verified shelter locations across Israel
• Multi-language support
• Shows walking directions to nearest shelter

Option 3: Your Municipality

• Contact your local authority (moatza mekomit / iriya)
• Municipalities maintain lists of public shelters in their jurisdiction
• Many municipal websites have shelter maps

Option 4: Home Front Command Hotline

• Hebrew: 1207
• English and other languages: 104
• Available 24/7 during emergencies

Option 5: Physical Signs

• Public shelters are marked with brown signs reading "מקלט" (Miklat)
• In newer areas, blue directional signs point to the nearest shelter

Essential Checklist

1. Clear the room -- many families use the mamad as a storage room or bedroom. Ensure the door and window can be fully closed
2. Test the blast door -- close and lock it. The handle should move smoothly. Lubricate hinges annually
3. Close the window shutter -- practice closing the steel shutter. Know which direction to turn the handle
4. Water -- store 4 liters per person per day for 3 days (minimum 12L per person)
5. Flashlight and batteries -- power may go out during an attack
6. Phone charger / power bank -- charged and ready
7. Radio -- battery-operated, tuned to Galei Zahal (Galatz) 102.3 FM or Reshet Bet 95.5 FM for official updates
8. First aid kit -- basic supplies including bandages, antiseptic, any personal medications
9. Important documents -- copies of IDs, insurance, medical info in a sealed bag
10. Entertainment for children -- books, games, coloring supplies to reduce anxiety

NBC Protection (if applicable)

If your mamad has an NBC filtration system:

• Ensure the system is serviced according to manufacturer schedule
• Keep gas masks accessible (distributed by Home Front Command during heightened alerts)
• Seal the room by closing the blast door and window shutter fully

If your building was built before 1992 and has no mamad:

Priority Order of Protection

1. Miklat (public shelter) -- if you can reach it within your zone's time limit
2. Mamak (floor shelter) -- if your building has one
3. Interior stairwell -- go to a stairwell that has at least 2 floors above and 1 below you. Do NOT go to the top floor or ground floor of the stairwell
4. Interior room -- choose a room with the fewest exterior walls and windows. Bathroom or interior hallway can work

Stairwell Protocol

• Sit on the stairs, not on the landing
• Position yourself against the inner wall (closest to the building center)
• Stay below the window line if there are stairwell windows
• Cover your head with your hands
• Do NOT use the elevator

When a siren sounds and you cannot reach a shelter in time:

1. Near a building: Enter the nearest building and follow the building-without-mamad protocol
2. Open area: Lie face down on the ground, cover your head with your hands, away from buildings (falling debris) and vehicles
3. In a vehicle: Pull over safely, exit the vehicle, move away from it, and lie face down. If you cannot safely exit, bend below the window line and cover your head
4. Near a bus stop shelter: These concrete bus stops provide some protection. Enter and crouch low

Employer Obligations

• Every workplace must have a designated shelter or protected space
• Employers must conduct shelter drills at least once per year
• Emergency procedures must be posted in Hebrew and other relevant languages
• A safety officer (memune betihut) must be appointed

School Protocols

• Schools have a maman (institutional protected space)
• Teachers are responsible for orderly movement to the shelter
• Practice drills are conducted multiple times per year
• Students with mobility limitations are assigned ground-floor classrooms near the shelter

Requirements for People with Disabilities

• Public shelters must be accessible according to Israeli accessibility law (Hok Negishut, 2005)
• Mamad doors are heavy. People with mobility limitations should practice opening them or arrange for assistance
• Service animals are permitted in all shelters
• Some municipalities provide designated accessible shelters. Contact your local authority for locations

Elderly and Mobility-Limited Residents

• If you cannot reach a shelter within the time limit, use an interior room on the lowest accessible floor
• Inform neighbors or building committee (vaad bayit) of your situation so they can assist during an alert
• Register with your local Home Front Command office for special needs assistance (via 104 or 1207)

1. Mamad as storage: Most families use the mamad for storage, making it impossible to enter quickly. The single most common failure is not being able to close the blast door because of furniture or boxes blocking it. An unusable mamad is the same as having no mamad.

2. Stairwell floor confusion: The "not top or bottom floor" rule means the structural floor, not your apartment floor. In a 4-story building, sit on the stairs between floors 1-3, not on the roof stairwell or the ground-floor entrance area.

3. Time-to-shelter is absolute: 15 seconds means 15 seconds from siren to closed door. If the nearest miklat is a 2-minute walk, you cannot use it in a 30-second zone. Know your actual transit time, not the theoretical distance.

4. Public shelter locked: Municipal miklat shelters are sometimes locked during non-emergency periods. They should be opened by local authorities when the security situation escalates. If you find a locked shelter during an alert, report it to your municipality and seek the next closest option.

5. NBC filters need maintenance: Gas mask filters and NBC systems expire. An expired filter provides zero protection. Check expiration dates annually.

See the references/ directory for:

• references/shelter-preparation-checklist.md -- printable preparation checklist
• references/shelter-types-comparison.md -- detailed comparison of shelter types