Saudi Gazette MAKKAH — Civil Defense teams have geared up to provide security and ensure safety of the pilgrims from all over the world to enable them to perform their rituals in ease and with peace of mind. It has deployed about 17,000 employees to provide protection to the pilgrims in emergency situations and has established four centers to accommodate more than 100,000 pilgrims at times of need. It has also deployed 2,000 personnel to protect pilgrims against endangering their lives on Jabl Rahma (Providence hillock) in the plains of Arafat and to avoid congestions at stations of Masher train. The Civil Defense has also asked the Tawafa establishments and Haj service providers to give priority to the safety of the pilgrims and to exert strenuous efforts to enable the guests of God to perform the Haj rituals safely and comfortably. It has also asked them to provide enough security guards at the Haj tents in Mina and Arafat according to the capacity of each tent. The Civil Defense said the guards should be stationed in their positions around-the clock and should be trained in rescue operations and firefighting. It said the guards should not be less than 20 or above 55 years of age and should know how to fix the tents in case of falling and should also have some good knowledge of electricity. In Madinah, the Civil Defense has deployed 2,355 employees consisting of officers and privates supplied with 545 equipment of firefighting vehicles, rescue tools, ambulances, motorbikes, stair cars, water tanks and other devices. Director of Civil Defense in Madinah, Maj.Gen. Mansour Al-Johani said the staff will be positioned around the Prophet's Mosque, the roads to be taken by the pilgrims and all other areas prone to accidents. He said the Civil Defense has established 11 units for fire extinguishing, rescue operations and ambulance services. As many as 698,822 pilgrims have arrived until Sunday including 681,295 by air, 10,368 by land and 7,159 by sea. A total of 420,232 pilgrims have landed at Prince Muhammad Bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah on board 1,120 special Haj and 562 scheduled flights. The pilgrims were immediately taken to their places of accommodation after immigration formalities in a record short time. About 250 Iraqi pilgrims have arrived by land through Arar border post in the north. The 1,400 pilgrims from 60 countries in Asia, Africa and Europe, invited by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, are expected to arrive soon as special guests of the king. The King every year invites prominent Muslims known for their service to Islam and Muslims from various parts of the world to perform Umrah and Haj at his own personal expense.
