New York - Mayor Bloomberg called Israel’s Acting Consul General in New York, Ido Aharoni to reiterate that, like always, New York City’s stands closely with Israel this afternoon. The Mayor asked if there’s anything New York can do to help with the fires raging in the North.
[The Mayor also mentioned in his call that FDNY Commissioner Sal Cassano already had a meeting scheduled for tomorrow (Friday) with Israel’s Deputy Minister of Defense, Matan Vilnai and two aides. General Vilnai is in charge of Homeland Defense including natural disasters and terrorist/hostile military events against the civilian population. (This meeting has since been cancelled because General Vilnai is returning to Israel.)]
Mr. Aharoni thanked the Mayor for his support and reported that there is a fire-retardant chemical that Israel needs more of. At the Mayor’s direction, Deputy Fire Commissioner Francis X. Gribbon immediately called the Acting Counsel General back, ascertained that the fire retardant Israel needs is not one that the FDNY uses in New York, and had the FDNY reach out to the U.S. Forestry Service, which does use it to fight forest fires.
FDNY Deputy Commissioner Gribbon then arranged a conference call this afternoon between Acting Consul General Aharoni and Tom Harbour, the Director of Fire and Aviation Management for the US Forestry Service.
About an hour ago, Mr. Harbour of the Forestry Service reported back to FDNY Deputy Commissioner Gribbon that a 747 loaded with Fire Troll 931, the fire retardant chemical needed, will leave for Israel tonight.
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