The Directorate of Civil Defense has completed all preparations, which include use of a broad range of technology, equipment and trained personnel, to implement its operational safety plan for the millions of Umrah performers who come to Makkah in the last 10 days of Ramadan. The directorate has mobilized all its personnel so it can respond to any emergency, according to Lt. Gen. Saad Bin Abdullah Al-Twaijri, Director General of Civil Defense. It is ready for all possible dangers that might face Umrah performers in Makkah and Madina, he said. The new plan was approved by Prince Naif Bin Abdul Aziz, Second Deputy Premier and Minister of Interior and Chairman of the Civil Defense Council. Under the plan, 9,600 Civil Defense officers and 1,440 pieces of Civil Defense machinery and equipment will be stationed in Makkah to respond to emergency cases while 2,000 officers and 400 pieces of machinery and equipment will be stationed in Madina, Lt. Gen. Al-Twaijri said. “We have emergency intervention teams equipped with highly sophisticated devices,” he said. Most accidents that have taken place during Ramadan have been small, which shows that the directorate has benefited from studies conducted in past years, but the challenges increase as Ramadan nears its conclusion, Lt. Gen. Al-Twaijri said. “The last 10 days of Ramadan see an immense influx of Umrah performers who perform prayers in the Grand Mosque,” he said. “We have intensified our forces around the Grand Mosque area to prevent traffic accidents, stampedes and environmental pollution. We have also increased the number of paramedic teams inside and outside the Grand Mosque.” Ramadan presents great challenges to civil defense teams but they have the experience and equipment to monitor situations and deal with all cases, Lt. Gen. Al-Twaijri said. “There are hundreds of cameras monitoring the movement of Umrah performers in several places, especially the Central Area around the Grand Mosque,” he said. “The Civil Defense operations direct the teams and units to crowded areas and areas with potential dangers.” Roads leading to Makkah and Madina will be monitored by helicopters and Civil Defense teams will be rushed to accident scenes, Lt. Gen. Al-Twaijri added. “The helicopters will help in rescue operations and transport patients to hospital,” he said. “This year, five new and advanced helicopters will be used around-the-clock.” Civil Defense teams are also inspecting fire-safety measures in tall buildings where Umrah performers stay, Lt. Gen. Al-Twaijri said. “The Civil Defense has all necessary equipment and machines to deal with fires in tall towers,” he said. “We have 100-meter ladders and fire-fighting vehicles equipped with strong water pumps and helicopters to help douse a fire from the air.” All vital establishments have been linked with the Civil Defense Operations team so any danger can be detected within three seconds, Lt. Gen Al-Twaijri said. “The Operations team electronically monitors the performance of all field units,” he said. “It can locate callers and respond to potential risks using wired and wireless devices.” Lt. Gen. Al-Tawijri called upon citizens and Umrah performers to follow safety instructions and directions, which are provided through a number of systems and means. “The Civil Defense sends SMS messages in different languages to Umrah performers to raise their awareness about the potential dangers,” he said. “There are big screens at parking lots and the central area around the Grand Mosque that show safety instructions.” __
