During the Last 10 Days of Ramadan National Ambulance Increases Emergency Preparedness to Ensure Worshippers’ Safety in the Northern Emirates

Abu Dhabi, 29 May 2019: National Ambulance confirmed that it has raised its emergency preparedness and taken pre-emptive measures to ensure worshippers’ safety across the Northern Emirates to cope with emergency situations that may occur due to the rising number of worshippers in the last 10 days of Ramadan. This comes as part of an integrated pre-emergency plan to increase resources and deploy crews and ambulances in the surrounding areas of the major mosques, as well as working closely with strategic partners across the emergency sector to ensure public safety and efficient preparedness to respond to potential emergencies that may occur before, during or after  Qiyam al-Layl (midnight prayers) in the last 10 days of Ramadan.

The mosques include: Sheikh Saud Al Qasimi Mosque and the new Sharjah Mosque in Sharjah, Sheikh Zayed Mosques in Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah, Ajman and Umm Al Quwain and the Amina Al Ghurair Mosque in Ajman.

Ahmed Saleh Al Hajeri, CEO of National Ambulance, conducted a number of field visits to inspect emergency preparedness plans and ambulance resources and met with strategic partners, including the Ministry of Health and Prevention’s hospitals and the Ministry of Interior, including Police and Civil Defense, to discuss joint cooperation and coordination mechanisms in collaborative readiness to ensure public safety and efficient response in case of any emergency.

Al Hajeri confirmed that National Ambulance crews and its Ambulance Communications Centre will be on full alert and coordinating with strategic partners to respond to and deal with any emergency incidents that may arise during this holy time, thus ensuring the public receive the most effective assistance possible. He also urged people to reach National Ambulance by calling 998 or using the NA998 App in the event they need an emergency ambulance.

Al Hajeri also appealed to the public to follow safety standards, including getting adequate sleep and rest and drink enough water, especially those who suffer from chronic diseases such as diabetes or high blood pressure. He also warned of the dangers of behaviours that put everyone’s safety at risk, such as worshippers pushing each other after finishing prayers or parking illegally, which blocks the traffic flow around mosques.

National Ambulance provides emergency pre-hospital care in the Northern Emirates through the dedicated 998 emergency ambulance number and smart application. Its primary task is to handle public medical emergency response and provide high standards of emergency pre-hospital care to citizens, residents and visitors across the Emirates of Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al-Khaimah and Fujairah. As well as using the 998 emergency ambulance call number for emergency situations, people in the Northern Emirates can directly contact National Ambulance Communications Centre through the National Ambulance 998 App. Registered users can at the touch of a button request an emergency ambulance. The request goes immediately to National Ambulance’s Communications Centre, where trained staff are able to respond and dispatch an ambulance directly to the scene through GPS tracking.  The App is available for IOS, Android, Windows and Blackberry.