In times of conflict, a firefighter from North Little Rock volunteers in Israel

North Little Rock, Arkansas – The Israel-Hamas conflict has claimed thousands of lives over the past month, yet many people – including those of us in Arkansas – have stepped up to provide support.

Andy Broom, a firefighter from North Little Rock, recently returned to the United States following a two-week stint in Israel working with the organization Emergency Volunteers Project. One of the biggest port cities in the nation, Ashdod, is where he volunteered at a fire station.

Since every Israeli is a member of the armed forces, Broom clarified, fire stations suffer manpower losses and require assistance during times of conflict.

He claimed that despite the daily missile attacks and the destruction all around him, it was an experience he would never forget and that he felt compelled to lend a hand.

“I don’t believe the fire service has any bounds,” Broom said. “I’m a Christian, so serving others… that’s what we are supposed to do.”

In order to respond to various calls for assistance, such as structure fires, brush fires, gas leaks, and elevator crises, Broom and twenty other firefighters were flown into Israel. They also responded to missile-related fires, which are currently a frequent occurrence in Israel.

Broom was there when he saw multiple missiles shoot out of the sky, some of which managed to breach the defenses.

“Just wreaked havoc and caused a lot of fire,” Broom said. “A lot of big fires when they landed, but it was serious, and they destroyed a lot of buildings, and people lost their lives.”

Five firefighters at this volunteer station perished in one of the attacks just weeks before Broom arrived.

“You could tell some of them it was an emotional response,” Broom said. “They were so happy that we were standing with them.”

When he returns to America, it offers him a fresh viewpoint.

“You definitely appreciate the fact that you’re not surrounded and that everybody around you wants to kill you for who you are and what you believe in,” Broom said. “It’s something I’ll never forget.”