Some 270 boy scouts rushed Friday to the holy sites in Makkah after the conclusion of a preparatory Haj scout camp. Dr. Rashid Al-Zahrani, head of the Technical and Vocational Training Board in Makkah Region (TVTB), told Saudi Gazette that the scouts are ready to help in case they are needed in civil defense work. “These scouts are coming from training centers in various parts of the country, such as Riyadh, Wadi AdDawasir, Kherj, Jizan, Najran, Asir, Al-Baha, Al-Qassim, Hail and the Eastern Province, in addition to, of course the Makkah region,” he said. “We have engaged experienced trainers to give our scouts intensive courses on safety procedures and evacuation in case an accident occurs, God forbid,” Al-Zahrani said. The camp commander Abdullah Al-Sha'ir explained that the course consisted of a number of religious lectures, open meetings and health programs. “There were also sessions for civil defense and a first aid course,” he noted. Al-Sha'ir added that the participants were given an intensive program on the Haj that included a number of courses and lectures on how best to serve the guests of Allah. He also added that the scouts were exposed to Islamic lectures that will help them assist pilgrims. “In addition, we focused on health measures so that the scout can help to spread awareness of the importance of good hygiene among the millions of visitors to the holy sites,” he said.
