Visit to Israel - should I prepare my daughter for sirens?

↑ banana123

Wed, Jan 01 2025, 6:14 am

DrMom wrote:

If I am walking down the street and an azaka goes off and I am within running but not walking distance of a miklat, I will run. I wear comfortable shoes and have no problem running outdoors. For me it is preferable to laying on the dirt unprotected.

Okay then, that's your decision.

Just remember that ason Meron happened because people ran. And ONLY because they ran. There's a reason the guidelines are what they are, and don't include running.

You absolutely have a right to your opinion, though.

↑ DrMom ↓

Wed, Jan 01 2025, 6:48 am

mummy85 wrote:

Agreed. Many of the injuries have been from people RUNNING to shelters.

If you run down a flight of stairs or into traffic, sure. But down a quiet suburban sidewalk? I don't view that as a hazard. I do it regularly to catch buses. Running does not have to = hysteria or panic.

But thx for the advice. I realize it was kindly meant Smile

↑ Elfrida

Wed, Jan 01 2025, 6:58 am

DrMom wrote:

If you run down a flight of stairs or into traffic, sure. But down a quiet suburban sidewalk? I don't view that as a hazard. I do it regularly to catch buses.

On a quiet suburban sidewalk, are you likely to be more than ninety seconds from some kind of shelter?

I was at a bus stop in rhe mercaz a couple of weeks ago when there was an azaka mid afternoon. I looked at the other woman at the bus stop, and she looked at me, and we both turned round and walked into the nearest building, and went up the stairs. The whole process can't have taken more than thirty seconds.

Maybe if we'd gone further there would have been a building with a miklat, or maybe a miklat tziburi, but we just took the nearest option. No panic, and no need to run.

It struck me afterwards how accustomed to, and almost how blasé we have become about sirens. How much we've come to trust, and depend upon kipat barzel. We followed the rules, because there's no point in taking stupid risks, but it was nothing like the way I reacted on Simchat Torah.

amother

Ultramarine

Wed, Jan 01 2025, 7:10 am

I took my highly anxious daughter to Israel. She was so worried about a siren. Of course we were in the airport and it went off. Although she was literally screaming in fear, and just lost it, after she was much calmer bec she did it and felt empowered that she can run to a shelter and be safe.

↑ DrMom

Wed, Jan 01 2025, 7:25 am

Elfrida wrote:

In my neighborhood, every apartment building seems to have its miklat in a different place, so it takes time to find them. Also, private houses don't have publicly accessible miklatot, and my neighborhood is a mix of houses and apartments.

Again, running does not = panic. It's just a way for me to move more quickly if needed.

OddoneOut1

Wed, Jan 01 2025, 7:33 am

I think we can all agree that panic is not conducive to getting to a safe place for shelter during a siren.

As the poster pointed out, when she is with her children, she is careful to remain calm and they walk in an orderly fashion so they can safely get to shelter.

obviously being along in suburbia is not the same scenario and running alone is not unsafe to others.

A senior who struggles to walk should take care and not run...a mom with little ones should not be running with one on each hip...etc.
Lets not get hung up on the minutia.

I will add that I strongly agree with that poster that your initial reaction will have a strong effect on your child, so walking and talking calmly can make a real difference to her anxiety level post-siren.

amother

Burlywood

Wed, Jan 01 2025, 8:41 am

She’s a teenager, surely she has some idea of what’s going on in Israel. I would reassure her that on the slight chance that something happens while you are there you will calmly follow the other people to a shelter but reassure her that for the most part people are going about their daily lives and not living in fear.
We took a trip last January, and before we left my daughter was asking me how we will walk around outside and nervous about being on edge, after getting there she was much more comfortable.