Israeli Police First Responders' Inside World During Terrorist Bomb Site Evacuation

• In Event: Terrorism and Organized Violence: Global Challenges and Justice Responses

Abstract

Suicide bomb attacks that aim at massive destruction and casualties led to the establishment of a counterterrorism police units in Israel. This research takes an inside look at Hablanim, police first responders, on a three-stage journey from receipt of a suicide bomb call, to evacuation and their return home. During in-depth semi-structured interviews, eight Hablanim shared their feelings of arousal and expectations to save lives once they obtained a suicide bomb call. Isolation of affect and operation in an automaton-robbot manner characterized the critical incident response phase, while at the same time being fully alert of casualties and amputated bodies and consciously avoiding to look at the faces. On the way back silence is mixed with sorrow of the memories of the chaotic scene and the smell of blood and burnt skin that they will always remember. Feelings of the scene were rarely shared with family members and humor was the means to release tension with colleagues. However, beyond humor and critical incident peer counseling, trauma was mostly alleviated by a profound feeling of unity, and the belief that God was calling them to save lives. Like the 9/11 first responders, first responders in Israel unite in prayers.

Authors

• Brenda Geiger, Bar Ilan University

• Michael L. Fischer, Norfolk State University