RIYADH: The Civil Defense has formed a rapid deployment force to deal with the risk of floods in the wake of bad weather hitting most of the Kingdom, said Lt. Gen. Saad Bin Abdullah Al-Tuwaijeri, Director General of the Civil Defense. Al-Tuwaijeri said the Civil Defense's plan centers on protecting the lives and possessions of inhabitants as per the directives of Prince Naif Bin Abdul Aziz, Second Deputy Premier, Interior Minister and Chairman of the Supreme Haj Committee. He told Okaz/Saudi Gazette the deployment of emergency forces are supported by a fleet of Civil Defense planes, consisting of 41 modern planes specially manufactured for emergencies. This is in addition to a package of precautionary measures in which most of the ministries and all government agencies, including the armed forces and its air force, are taking part if the need arises. He said the air force will be used in cases similar to the situation in Al-Aias when 730 inhabitants were airlifted to safety. He said the Civil Defense is the only body authorized to assess whether there is a need to deploy forces, because of its long experience in dealing with emergencies. By virtue of this experience it can determine the methods needed to provide help, with the assistance of the emirs of the regions, who head their respective civil defense committees. The entire analysis will be passed to Prince Naif for final approval. Nature of preparations He said the Civil Defense forces are equipped with all the necessary machinery for rescue and firefighting operations, collapse of buildings, and soil and rockslides. The Civil Defense's equipment and machinery include special trucks for evacuation, towing cranes, rubber boats and highly-trained personnel within and outside the Kingdom. The Civil Defense officers are trained to deal with all kinds of natural disasters. The officers and non-commissioned officers have received advanced training in the US, France and Italy. Added to this, there are more than 1,000 trained officers to deal with all types of risks. He said there is constant coordination with the Meteorology and Environmental Protection Authority (MEPA). “It should be understood that the responsibility is a joint one. There are hot lines linking the two organizations, to exchange information and hold joint meetings. Apart from this, we receive weather reports from MEPA around-the-clock. We receive our information mainly from MEPA. In addition, Prince Mansour Bin Abdul Aziz, President of MEPA, is a member of the Civil Defense Supreme Council. Al-Tuwaijeri has praised the way citizens and residents have helped out during disasters, and their positive response to the Civil Defense's plans and programs. This has been the result of awareness programs carried out by the Civil Defense on disaster management, especially floods resulting from torrential rains. “Needless to say, their role is as important as that of the Civil Defense,” he added. He said the participation of citizens in rescue operations has resulted in the rescue of many people who were swept away by the floods in various valleys. They have interpreted the Civil Defense legislation of 1986 in a practical way, which stipulates that citizens can take a direct role in the tasks of the body. “This shows that every citizen belongs to the Civil Defense and acts as a Civil Defense officer. Many citizens have been honored for their brave contribution in rescuing people.” Al-Tuwaijeri has warned citizens and residents to be wary of possible flash floods on valley beds and courses. He advised them to keep away from these areas especially on rainy days. “When the force of a flood reaches 20 tons no one can withstand this force, regardless of the machinery and human ability,” he added.
