“On Saturday morning, immediately after the first siren, my husband was called up for reserve duty and I was called to the station where I volunteer in Ramat Gan,” said Bitia Bental, a 29-year-old firefighter volunteer.
Living just steps from the station, the French-born immigrant was on duty within minutes, heading to missile impact sites across central Israel as part of the Fire and Rescue Services response.
What happened at those sites?
“At the first site, a fragment from an interception fell at the entrance to a building and created a large crater. We had to make sure all the residents were safe and accounted for and that no one was missing. One woman was looking for her cat that ran away because of the blast. She was very worried about it, so we helped her search and didn’t leave until we found it. At the second site, there was a strike at a shopping center that caused extensive damage to the stores. Almost all the shops were destroyed and some of the contents burned, but thank God there were no casualties.”
There are many scenes where girls or small children need to be rescued, and a woman can sometimes approach that task more easily. Because I’m a bit smaller than the male firefighters, I’m also able to squeeze through narrower openings
Can you get used to sights like that?
“I can’t say I’ve gotten used to it, but as long as there are no casualties, everything is OK. In the moment I stay focused and don’t get too emotional because that interferes with functioning. But afterward, when I think about all those people who lost all their property, of course it’s sad.”
How did you come to volunteer with Fire and Rescue Services?
“I was born and raised in Nice, France, in a Zionist family, and at age 22 I decided to make aliyah — immigrate to Israel — after completing a bachelor’s degree in economics and management there. I moved because I wanted to build a family in Israel. I dreamed all my life of being a firefighter. At 16 I volunteered with the fire service in Nice. In France firefighters are also medics, and the emergency service is integrated. When I came to Israel I wanted to continue volunteering as I did in Nice. I completed training as a medic and ambulance driver and then continued to a Fire and Rescue course as a volunteer firefighter. I’ve been volunteering for five years in a regional volunteer unit, and we assist wherever needed and replace firefighters in the Central District when necessary.”
What added value do you bring to the job as a woman?
“There are many scenes where girls or small children need to be rescued, and a woman can sometimes approach that task more easily. Once there was an incident that required entering a shop and conducting a search after a complaint about a leak. Because I’m a bit smaller than the male firefighters, I was able to squeeze through the narrow opening and carry out the search.”
What do you do for a living?
“I worked as a paid ambulance driver for four years, and during that time I completed a master’s degree in economics with a specialization in the capital market at Ono Academic College. Today I work as a project manager at the real estate company Stays.”
How do you combine a full-time job with such demanding volunteer work?
“Until now it’s been fine. Now I really do have a little less time, but I try to give as many shifts as possible, mainly on weekends.”
Aren’t you afraid to be out in the field, outside a protected space?
“When there’s a siren we also go into a protected space. For example, at the first scene we reached on Saturday afternoon there were many sirens, so we went into a protected space, and once we were cleared we returned to work. We all understand there is danger. We take that into account when we arrive at scenes to save lives, because that’s our purpose.”
Your family in France must be very worried.
“Yes, they’re very worried, but they trust us and pray that the entire Jewish people will be safe. For me, immigrating to Israel was a dream come true. Volunteering here with Fire and Rescue Services is another dream come true, and building a home in Israel is the third dream that has come true. It’s important for me to say to everyone: dream and make it happen. Every dream is possible in Israel.”
First published: 03:51, 03.07.26