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

amother

OP ↓

Mon, Dec 30 2024, 3:28 pm

I’ll iyh be visiting Israel in a few weeks with my teenage daughter. She’s a very anxious girl in general. Should I prepare her for the possibility that we may have to run to a shelter in the event of a siren or should I just wait and see if it happens and deal with it then? I don’t want her to feel anxiety the whole trip if it doesn’t even happen. I know those who live in Israel deal with this often and I’m not minimizing that. My own sister who lives there is always telling me how her son has so much anxiety from this. I know this is your reality. And I’m just wondering how to prepare my daughter for this trip.

amother

Cream

Tue, Dec 31 2024, 12:10 pm

amother OP wrote:

Definitely prepare. Not sure where you'll be but we have sirens fairly often now near the center (yemen houthis.) Not too often but in a few weeks there'll be a couple. Tell her Hashem is protecting us first of all, and with the iron dome it's highly unlikely to be hit. And the sirens sound for a large area so even if the rocket did land it's unlikely to land exactly on you. And most likely it won't even land.

amother

Olive

Tue, Dec 31 2024, 12:17 pm

we were in Jerusalem last mth and totally warned my DD.
showed her where room was etc.
also she went out alone a bit (just to makolet or whatever) so we told her if she's out and siren goes follow the ppl.
then she did get jumpy once or twice (car alarms) so I played the siren for her once so she wld know what it sounded like

lovecouches

Tue, Dec 31 2024, 11:34 pm

I like the idea of playing a siren for her so she knows what it sounds like. And explaining that Friday nights at candlelighting there is also usually a siren.
The first time I heard a siren it was right after candlelighting and I thought it was just another Friday night siren.

amother

Cornsilk ↓

Tue, Dec 31 2024, 11:59 pm

OP this obviously depends on where in Israel you are going, but I'd suggest that you find out the time limit that you have for the sirens (depends on the cities). Jerusalem is around 90 seconds.
It is NEVER okay to run for shelter (unless you see the rockets landing on top of you). You walk in an ORDERLY FASHION. You talk. You laugh. You smile. And you walk with purpose towards a shelter.
I'd suggest bringing an iPad with games/movies especially for the shelter to make it exciting.

The injuries and shock to the system that happens from panic is a casualty of war, but you can do your part to make sure that your daughter does not suffer from that.

I live here and by every siren I smile and call my kids to the shelter. The older ones know what's going on, but are not scared because I make it fun and exciting with no panic involved. We have treats and games and toys and food and blankets and water in the miklat and we enjoy ourselves down there BH.

DrMom ↓

Yesterday at 2:06 am

amother Cornsilk wrote:

Huh? If I cannot reach a shelter within 90 seconds by walking, but I can by running, then I run. I'm not always in my home when an azaka sounds.

banana123 ↓

Yesterday at 2:09 am

DrMom wrote:

Huh? If I cannot reach a shelter within 90 seconds by walking, but I can by running, then I run. I'm not always in my home when an azaka sounds.

Statistically you are much more likely to be injured running for shelter than you are by a rocket strike or falling fragments. Especially if you follow instructions and lie down prone and place your hands over your head.

amother

Thistle ↓

Yesterday at 2:11 am

amother Cornsilk wrote:

Im sorry but this is terrible advice. Whenever there is a siren, people get to the shelter however they feel they need to.
Please dont ever tell someone, in such a terrifying position, to walk in an orderly fashion. People go as they feel they must.
And while that might work for 90 seconds, that most definitely would never work in other areas of the country with much less time.

↑ DrMom ↓

Yesterday at 2:14 am

banana123 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.

Elfrida ↓

Yesterday at 2:53 am

lovecouches wrote:

Since the war, they don't have a siren for Shabbos. Most places play some kind of music.

amother

↑ Cornsilk ↓

Yesterday at 2:54 am

DrMom wrote:

Huh? If I cannot reach a shelter within 90 seconds by walking, but I can by running, then I run. I'm not always in my home when an azaka sounds.

I'm sorry that is not the correct approach. Panic and fear hurt way more times than they save lives. You WALK QUICKLY to the nearest shelter in an orderly fashion.

amother

↑ Thistle

Yesterday at 3:02 am

amother Cornsilk wrote:

I'm sorry that is not the correct approach. Panic and fear hurt way more times than they save lives. You WALK QUICKLY to the nearest shelter in an orderly fashion.

There is no one correct approach. Please, stop making others, who do it differently, feel bad. Shame on you. When a siren wails, each person does what they have to do to feel ok.

mummy85

Yesterday at 3:03 am

amother Cornsilk wrote:

I'm sorry that is not the correct approach. Panic and fear hurt way more times than they save lives. You WALK QUICKLY to the nearest shelter in an orderly fashion.

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

amother

↑ Cornsilk

Yesterday at 3:11 am

amother Thistle wrote:

There is no one correct approach. Please, stop making others, who do it differently, feel bad. Shame on you. When a siren wails, each person does what they have to do to feel ok.

I'm sorry you feel that way. I live here too.
I'm trying to educate you. Statistically speaking the injuries come from panic (running and anxiety).
Please educate yourself and don't fall for the panic.