On Thursday 25/7/24, Kiryat Bialik joined an innovative initiative aimed at improving emergency preparedness for people with disabilities. The mayor, Eli Dukorski, signed the "Purple Neck" charter together with the initiative of the program, former member of the Knesset Shirley Pinto, during the meeting the deputy mayor, and director of accessibility Israel North Dr. Revital Schwartz-Sbirsky, director of the welfare department Omer Ben Artzi, Ram Emergency Mickey Kauf.
"Oref Sagol" is a national program that aims to implement the preparedness and response to people with disabilities in emergency situations at the political and public level. The initiative includes establishing dedicated support systems, training emergency teams, and adapting infrastructure and procedures to the special needs of this population.
The initiative, promoted in cooperation with a variety of organizations and associations, places Kiryat Bialik at the forefront of the national effort to protect vulnerable populations in times of crisis. As part of the initiative, the municipality undertook to establish a "Purple Line" - a dedicated control center that will respond to residents with disabilities in an emergency.
"This is a significant step towards ensuring the safety of all the city's residents, without exception," Pinto said at the signing ceremony. "The cooperation between the local authorities and the associations is critical to the success of the project."
Mayor Dukorski, for his part, presented the actions that have already been taken in the city since the outbreak of the war, such as distributing bracelets to the hearing impaired and emphasized the municipality's commitment to continue improving the response to this population: "It is our moral duty to ensure the safety and well-being of all the city's residents, without exception. Today We are taking a significant step forward in the direction of an equal and inclusive society. We will build a comprehensive support system that will include training, exercises and information, to ensure that every person with a disability knows how to act in an emergency."
The "Purple Backyard" initiative is gaining momentum throughout the country, with more cities expected to join soon. Kiryat Bialik's joining marks an important step in expanding the initiative and raising awareness of the unique needs of people with disabilities in emergency situations.
