As the tense security situation in northern Israel continues, Emek Medical Center in Afula celebrated the opening of a new Emergency Operations Center in a fortified sheltered area of the hospital. Part of the Clalit Group, Emek Medical Center serves communities throughout the Galilee region, which is seeing ongoing rocket attacks from Hezbollah terrorists along Israel’s northern borders. The new Operations Center dedicated this week is part of the 100 patient-care stations in a fortified area of the hospital made possible through a gift from the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ). Dr. Maor Maman, Director of Emek Medical Center said, “We have been blessed to partner with the IFCJ for over a decade and with incredible gratitude to them, we have been able to open this center at a time when it provides a critical life-saving need. This Emergency Operating Center will allow us to continue to provide emergency care at all times, in facilities that are protected, so that we can ensure optimal medical response even as we remain under the threat of missile attack.” Yael Eckstein, President of IFCJ, attended the opening ceremony along with Safwan Marich, IFCJ’s Director of the Safety and Emergency Response Division. “Our goal both before the war, and certainly now, has been to equip Israeli hospitals in ways that they will be prepared for all types of emergencies and threats,” Eckstein said. “The nature of this war is that the home front is a constant target, so we need to do everything possible to enable our hospitals to continue to operate even while being fired upon.” Related articles: Yael Eckstein - Salary and Poverty Continues to Challenge Israel 4,100 flak jackets, 500 first responder kits, 30 mobile shelters IFCJ Brings IDF Personnel to Seniors to Help Celebrate Sukkot Groundbreaking for new state-of-the-art home for Lone Soldiers “We applaud the teams here at Emek and medical professionals all over Israel, who are working tirelessly to heal and provide care under extremely trying conditions, and hope that this facility will help give them a sense of enhanced security to perform their blessed work.” Dr. Maman further announced that in the coming weeks, an additional donation from the IFCJ will allow for the opening of a second fortified space in the hospital’s Beit Shulamit Oncology Building, with another fifty patient-care stations. “Our emergency infrastructure has received a significant upgrade thanks to the important and welcomed activities of the IFCJ, which aspires to strengthen the emergency infrastructure in Israel”, said Dr. Maman. So far, IFCJ has donated over 40 million dollars to 27 public hospitals throughout the country, mainly by strengthening their emergency preparedness for situations such as war or high-casualty events, including trauma rooms, fortifying structures against rocket fire, and providing medical equipment and supplies.