Special Needs Students Get Life-Saving Lessons From National Ambulance

Abu Dhabi, 2 June 2015: National Ambulance recently hosted a group of ten students with special needs from the Zayed Agricultural Center for Development and Rehabilitation, part of the Zayed Higher Organisation for Humanitarian Care. The visit included a tour to the National Ambulance Communication Centre in which participants were taken through the background of when an ambulance is dispatched, explored the inside of an ambulance and received an interactive awareness session in crucial medical procedures. On completing their visit each participant received a certificate and a personalised card with a group photo taken in front of the ambulance.

Joined by two supervisors from Zayed Agriculture Center, the participants were shown around the high-tech Ambulance Call Centre where Emergency Medical Dispatchers took them through operations and the steps taken from the moment they receive a call. This included; dispatching an ambulance, giving, potentially lifesaving first aid advice over the phone, tracking ambulances and pre-alerting hospitals when needed. They were then shown the inside of one of National Ambulance’s fleet of advanced vehicles.

In addition, the group received an interactive training session on circulation, which involved showing them how to take a pulse and blood pressure and how to practice basic bleeding control. During the session, the group were informed about the importance of calling for an ambulance immediately if there is an emergency and how to do so. 
 
Commenting on the visit, Ahmed Saleh Al Hajeri, Deputy CEO of National Ambulance said: “National Ambulance is proud to serve the community through the activation of it community engagement programme and today’s visit from Zayed Agricultural Center for Development and Rehabilitation is an important element of how we can raise awareness of the vital role of the emergency services and to provide the students with useful tips when dealing with emergency medical situations. Our team enjoyed a great time with the students and were very happy to share their expertise and experience.”

Eng. Mohamed Saif Al Arifi, Director of Zayed Agricultural Center for Development and Rehabilitation said: “I would like to extend our thanks to National Ambulance for giving our students the opportunity to experience and interact with a vital emergency service.  It is important for our work that we receive the support from a wide variety of organisations so that our students can play a full role in society and our visit to National Ambulance was very rewarding in respect to this objective.”

While Hamda Matar Al Mazroei, a social worker at Zayed Agriculture Center for Development and Rehabilitation added: “Such visits are so important to our trainees because empowering them with knowledge and giving them chance to interact and integrate them into society has a positive impact on their health, self-confidence and social skills. Such tips are important for their safety and health, especially in their everyday training routine at the centre as they are involved in mechanical, maintenance, agriculture and landscaping work.

At the end of the tour, the students expressed their appreciation and pleasure for this informative visit. Assisting in the first aid session, Wadha Almuntheri from National Ambulance said: “It was a very rewarding experience for me and felt very content engaging with my fellow Emirati brothers and empowering them with information that can benefit them in their everyday life."