Israel has often been among the first nations to respond to natural disaster elsewhere. Sometimes this has gone virtually unnoticed. Sometimes it has received the world’s acclaim, as in Haiti last year. Now, with a forest fire raging out of control near Haifa, Israel is on the receiving end of aid from abroad. Hours ago, NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg, himself no stranger to Israel, learned that Israeli firefighters were lacking fire retardant. The FDNY connected the Consulate General of Israel here with the US Forest Service and shortly thereafter a 747 filled with Fire Troll is en route to Israel to battle the blaze.

Posted by Howie Beigelman