Help from a Friend
Two weeks ago, Israeli firefighters landed in San Francisco and headed to Sacramento to stand ‘shoulder to shoulder’ with California firefighters in battling the wildfires rampaging through California, Oregon, and Washington. According to the governor’s office, wildfires in California have engulfed over 3 million square miles of land, and over 7,700 blazes have occurred over the past year. “More than 14,000 firefighters are battling 29 fires from San Diego to the Oregon border according to the California Department of Fires and Forestry.”
Some of those 14,000 firefighters have come from Israel, having arrived in San Francisco on September 1 then headed to Sacramento to assist in fighting the fires. The decision to dispatch the firefighters came after ‘intensive contacts’ with the US embassy in Jerusalem and the Israeli consulate in San Francisco on what assistance local authorities needed to battle the blazes. Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi praised the deployed delegation “as an expression of the deep friendship between the peoples and the excellent relations between the two countries. “I praise the members of the delegation and wish them success on their mission.”
The mayor of Sacramento, Darrell Steinberg, thanked the Israeli team of firefighters, “Today we welcomed a delegation of firefighters from Israel who arrived yesterday. Tomorrow they will report to the CA Office of Emergency Services and be dispatched to fires around the state. As a Jewish mayor, I’m particularly proud and happy to see them come to our aid.”
According to the Foreign Ministry the delegation is comprised of 10 officers and firefighters from the Fire and Rescue Services, Rescue and forest fire experts, and a Foreign Ministry representative. The delegation will shortly end their time in the States after being here for approximately two weeks.
Solomon said in Proverbs 17:17, “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” Israel is proving their friendship, loyalty, and steadfast support for us by coming to assist in the fighting of the fires. We should be praying for them and all the firefighters and those families impacted by the deadly fires. Thank you, Israel for your support and aid.
(Source: The Times of Israel)
