Today, Thursday, the "INSARAG" test was completed, in which the Home Front Command's National Rescue Unit was found qualified and joined a limited and prestigious international community of rescue units from around the world. This test was conducted over the course of about a week during which the National Rescue Unit was tested in a variety of complex capabilities in the fields of preparedness, identification of trapped people and rescue from collapsed structures.

The "INSARAG" is a United Nations body that centralizes rescue units from around the world to coordinate, optimize and utilize rescue operations in disaster-stricken areas and save lives. The test is the first of its kind in Israel. The National Rescue Unit was evaluated according to 230 different criteria, including search and rescue, command and control during international events, the mobilization of the unit within a specified period of time, rapid analysis of the situation, engineering survey of buildings, provision of medical assistance, mobility, the use of advanced logistic technological equipment and simultaneous operation of two parallel destruction sites.

At the end of the test, it was decided that from now on, unit members will be able to operate through the "INSARAG" teams of the United Nations and will be part of a worldwide network of knowledge sharing.

The Commander of the National Rescue Unit, Col. (res.) Golan Vach said: "Over the last few years, the soldiers and commanders of the National Rescue Unit have been working and improving their skills and professionalism in the field of search and rescue for the ultimate goal of saving lives. This is great news and I thank the Home Front Command, the National Emergency Authority and the Ministry of Defense for their support for our long and educational process. I am proud to lead the unit, I believe in my people and am moved by our success."