• Home

DTMFZ clears air on visitor's death

DUBAI - The Dubai Technology and Media Free Zone (DTMFZ) announced yesterday that "Standard Operating Procedures" for emergencies had been promptly followed in the case of the man who died recently of a heart attack while visiting one of the offices at the Dubai Media city.

In a statement issued to the Press yesterday, the management of DTMFZ said that they have conducted a comprehensive investigation on the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate death of a visitor due to a heart attack near the offices of a Dubai Media City company on July 20. The statement said a detailed investigation report revealed that "Standard Operating Procedures" for emergencies had been promptly followed. Within six minutes of receiving the first call reporting the incident, a trained paramedic staff rushed to the location of the incident, and attended to the heart attack victim. The statement follows a letter on the incident carried in a segment of the local Press on July 21. The letter had mentioned that there were delays in emergency care reaching the person. However, a minute-by-minute log of the incident compiled by the Free Zone's investigation showed that a trained paramedic had attended to the heart attack victim in less than six minutes after receiving a call reporting the incident.

The Free Zone's Health, Security, Safety and Environment Department (HSSE) has a dedicated Emergency Response Unit that responds to emergency incidents. The unit, which has highly trained staff and all necessary medical equipment, operates according to international standards and procedures. Furthermore, all security supervisors of the HSSE department are certified in First Aid.

"I would like to express Dubai Media City's deep regret at the unfortunate incident and would also like to convey our deepest condolence to the family and friends of the bereaved," said Mohammed Al Mulla, Acting Partner Relations Director of Dubai Media City.

"The Free Zone places the highest priority on maintaining the safety, security, and health of all workers and visitors in the Free Zone, and we make efforts not just to maintain, but to constantly improve our standards," said Mr Al Mulla.

The investigation conducted by the Free Zone management was based on recorded and validated reports from three important sources: Dubai Media City's Call Centre, recordings of the Close Circuit TV (CCTV) located in the corridor where the incident happened, and the Health, Security, Safety and Environment Department (HSSE).

Procedures for response and reaction to emergencies, which have been clearly communicated to Business Partners, advise them to immediately contact the Free Zone's Call Centre to report an emergency.

According to a recording of a call by a woman to the call centre, a witness to the incident had called "999" before calling the Free Zone's contact centre. Another woman, who mentioned that she had a medical background, had attempted to assist the man before the Free Zone paramedic arrived to administer preliminary aid.

"To supplement our services, a new emergency response unit will be established within the Dubai Media City campus soon to further raise security levels," Al Mulla explained.

"We have been in talks with the Department of Health and Medical Services (Dohms) over the past two months to set up a permanent medical centre on campus. In the short term, a fully equipped ambulance will be available soon round the clock. Further, we are in talks now with Dubai Health Care City, to implement the emergency response standards of Harvard Medical School." Al Mulla also revealed that one of Dubai's leading hospitals will be opening a facility in the Free Zone soon.