Last week, ZAKA International Rescue Unit Chief Officer Mati Goldstein, together with Rabbi Joseph Garmon from the Guatemala Jewish community and representatives from the Israel Embassy, held a series of meetings with Guatemalan government ministries, the Defense Ministry, Home Front Command and the Fire Service, as well as the Police and emergency responders in order to begin a series of professional training sessions with these official bodies.
Guatemala is facing considerable challenges in the emergency field and is looking to train – in full cooperation with ZAKA – its emergency responders in a number of different disciplines. This, as a result of ZAKA’s unparalleled experience and expertise at mass casualty incidents over the last two decades and its status as a UN-recognized international humanitarian volunteer organization.
ZAKA also held meetings with the Jewish community and with Cadena, the local Jewish rescue organization, in order to ensure collaboration and cooperation for the benefit of the local Jewish community and for Israel’s public diplomacy efforts in the region.