Civil Defense has prepared a rapid response plan in the event of an emergency at the Mashair Railway project. Under the plan 22 Civil Defense teams will be stationed along the train's route. A further 150 security men will be posted at the Mashair Railway stations in Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifa to provide assistance to pilgrims in case of an emergency. In the event of an accident on board or at the train station, they will be tasked with firefighting and rescue operations. The Mashair Railway project is the biggest in the world and will transport 500,000 pilgrims when fully operational. According to the Civil Defense Supervision Officer of the Mashair Railway, Brig. Gen. Abdul Aziz Al-Ghasham: “Preparations for emergencies started when we met the train operators. We held workshops on the likely risks which might threaten the safety of pilgrims and discussed the precautionary measures to avoid these risks.” He said: “We have given utmost attention to all probable hazards, starting with the train's headquarters, facilities, maintenance workshops and control room.” Civil Defense plans also include a detailed strategy for deploying 11 Civil Defense units at the Mashair Railway stations. These teams have specialized in firefighting, rescue operations, civil protection and safety. They will oversee all systems including entry and exit points at the stations. A team from a company specialized in dealing with train accidents will also be on hand. An additional unit has also been trained to provide assistance in the event of a building collapse. The unit has received professional training to deal with building collapses, earthquakes and water rescue. The Civil Defense has also secured ultra-modern cranes with loads ranging from 50 to 160 tons, retractable ladders and new fire engines fitted with the most sophisticated devices. __
