In the Home Front Command aid delegation operating in the earthquake-hit area of Venezuela, one reserve officer has stood out as an angel of hope for many residents. He is Avi Cohen (39), a structural engineer from Giv'at Shmuel who has served for years in the search and rescue unit as a senior academic professional officer, the rank equivalent to a lieutenant.
These days, Cohen is the person telling families whose homes were damaged by the quake whether their buildings are safe to live in or whether, unfortunately, the structures are dangerous and must be demolished.
Cohen and the Home Front Command delegation in Venezuela
(Credit: IDF Spokesperson)
So far, fortunately for him, the good news has outweighed the bad. In one case, after he informed residents of a large apartment building that the structure was sound and they could return home, the residents burst into tears, hugged him and thanked him for the news.
“People say, ‘Thank God,’ ‘Thank you for coming.’ Some of them have been sleeping in tents until now because they were afraid to return home,” he said.
Cohen, who was born in Mexico and immigrated to Israel 15 years ago, speaks Spanish as his mother tongue, which has proved to be a significant advantage during the mission. In civilian life, he is a construction engineer specializing in the design of earthquake-resistant buildings, including schools and hospitals. During his mandatory military service, he served as a protection engineer in the Home Front Command’s research and development unit.
“I’m a reservist,” he told ynet. “When I received the call-up, I immediately said ‘yes,’ and only afterward went to ask my wife. This is a great opportunity both to help and to learn how an event like this is managed in reality.”
According to Cohen, the scale of the destruction is difficult to comprehend.
“Every morning we drive from Caracas to the affected areas, and along the way we see destroyed homes on both sides of the road or buildings that are about to collapse. We are only in one city and the destruction is enormous. We also talk among ourselves and understand that if a powerful earthquake hits Israel, we could see scenes like this there too. We are here also to learn and prepare.”
The Israeli delegation is not treating buildings that have already collapsed, but rather those that were damaged and whose safety remains unclear.
“We are called to buildings with damage. The teams enter, assess the condition of the structure, look for signs of potential future collapse and work according to the Home Front Command’s methodology. At the end, we determine whether the building is safe or whether it must be evacuated.”
Cohen said the most moving moments are when they can reassure residents.
Home Front Command delegation in Venezuela alongside a resident
(Photo: IDF Spokesperson)
“People are afraid to return home. We explain to them that there are cracks, but the structure is intact and there is no danger. It is a great feeling of satisfaction.”
On the other hand, there are also difficult moments.
“Sometimes we have to stand in front of a family and tell them: ‘You cannot continue living here.’ It is news that breaks their hearts.”
Cohen said he was pleasantly surprised by the quality of local construction.
“There is a different construction method here than in Israel. There are many concrete block walls, but in many cases the structure itself remains intact. We were impressed that there are more safe buildings than we expected.”
Cohen alongside local rescuers at one of the collapsed sites in Venezuela
(Photo: IDF Spokesperson)
In recent days, the delegation inspected eight massive residential buildings, each about 15 stories high, housing between 600 and 1,200 families.
“We found that all eight buildings were sound. That same day, we were able to tell thousands of people that they could return home. These are moments you do not forget.”
He said the delegation members have received an especially warm welcome.
“From the moment we landed, we were welcomed with open arms. Everywhere people tell us: ‘You’re from Israel? Thank you for coming.’ They greatly appreciate the fact that people traveled from far away to help them. We hear only positive things. We have good security, but the feeling is that people here are simply happy that we are with them.”