- Lebanese first responders lack essential gear amidst growing Israeli airstrikes.
- Economic and political crises have crippled Lebanon’s emergency response.
- International assistance is urgently needed to support overwhelmed rescue teams.
Lebanese emergency services are struggling to cope with the devastation caused by ongoing Israeli airstrikes, particularly in southern cities like Sidon.
First responders, such as Mohamed Arkadan’s civil defense team, are rescuing survivors and recovering bodies under extreme duress, often without essential protective gear.
Lebanese First Responders Struggle to Operate Amid Crises and Conflict
This situation reflects the broader collapse of Lebanon’s public services, already weakened by the 2019 economic crisis and the Beirut port explosion in 2020. Emergency responders, including Arkadan’s team, have had to buy uniforms out of their own pockets, and they now work with minimal resources amid intensifying conflict. The lack of leadership and functioning government further exacerbates the nation’s sense of abandonment, with citizens and rescue workers alike feeling left behind. International support is urgently needed to help Lebanon’s overwhelmed emergency teams save more lives.
The economic collapse that began in 2019, worsened by the Beirut port explosion in 2020, has left Lebanon unable to provide essential public services. Ambulances and firetrucks have not been replaced for years, and political deadlock has further paralyzed the country, leaving it without a president or functioning government. Emergency responders are left to fend for themselves, often paying out of their own pockets for necessary gear. These issues are exacerbated by the destruction caused by the ongoing conflict with Israel.
The Israeli air campaign has killed over 1,000 people, with a significant portion being women and children. Hundreds of thousands of Lebanese have been displaced, taking refuge in public spaces like beaches and streets. While first responders work around the clock to rescue people from collapsed buildings, their efforts are greatly hindered by outdated equipment and a lack of support from the government. This has left Lebanon’s emergency services, such as Arkadan’s team, under immense pressure and overwhelmed.
International attention is beginning to focus on the need for humanitarian aid in Lebanon. Calls for global assistance are mounting, urging international bodies to step in and provide emergency resources for the country. Without immediate support, Lebanese rescue teams will continue to struggle in their life-saving efforts, putting even more lives at risk as the conflict escalates. A coordinated response could help ease the burden on local first responders and improve their capacity to save lives.
Lebanese emergency services are at a breaking point, underscoring the urgent need for international intervention to supply life-saving equipment and support amid this overwhelming crisis.
“We have zero capabilities, zero logistics,” said Mohamed Arkadan, underscoring the dire situation faced by Lebanon’s first responders.
