‘General safety is everybody’s duty’

Amina Yaacoub Director, Civil Protection Department

The Civil Protection Department has prepared plans and programmes for prevention of fire and community awareness, notes Amina Yaacoub, Director, Civil Protection Department in the General Directorate of Civil Defence in Dubai. The implementation is being done through joint working groups with different departments. She reveals that the Civil Protection Department is divided into three main sections: Education, health and the environment and associated volunteers.

During 2014, the number of beneficiaries of the awareness programme reached 130,049 through 10 different programmes. The number of beneficiaries of the programme in 2013 reached 42,629 through five major programmes. These programmes are conducted in two ways: The first programme is by the Department of Statistics, which does a study and analysis and thereafter reports to the General Administration of Civil Defence the reasons for fires in the previous period. They glean the reasons by doing an independent survey or through intensified public awareness sessions conducted  throughout the year. This plan covers a large number of organisations and individuals as it is meant to maximise the number of beneficiaries of all (segments) of society. The second programme is done by the Preventive Safety Department, which undertakes a study and analysis of the report, on irregularities and risks in facilities through periodic visits.

On a more personal level, Civil Protection lecturers provide lectures and applications for fire, evacuation, rescue and other basic information about first aid (with fire extinguisher practice use). The focus this year and the future is on the electronic outreach through social networking sites. This is an attempt to reach the largest and widest number of recipients and expand the outreach to all segments of society besides developing attractive programmes to educate each category.

Excerpts from an interview with Amina Yaacoub:

Which Civil Defence Departments participate in awareness programmes? What are the external departments that support these programmes?

The most important internal departments involved in outreach programmes are Preventive Safety Management, Operations Management, Management Affairs Centre, Technical Workshop and the Information Co-ordination Office.

The external departments include Dubai Police, Ambulance Services, Dubai Health Authority, Ministry of Health, Government and Private hospitals, Traffic Department, RTA, Dubai Municipality and the Ministry of Labour. In addition, the following are covered: 

• Workers' homes and factories
• Ministry of Education
• Knowledge and Human Development Authority
• Private and public schools
• Family forum
• Commercial centres
• Centres for the Handicapped 

Besides, there are more depending on the type of campaign. 

What are the most important programmes implemented this year and what are the developmental aspectsfor next year?

Programmes implemented this year are as follows:

Winter Awareness Camp

Schools, students and their families were the target group in this camp. The firefighter character ‘Salem’ and his family created awareness by entertaining and spreading an atmosphere of happiness amongst children in dramatic sequences.

Firefighters use sequential patrols to visit camps and explain safety measures and create awareness (in labour camps) in case of a fire or danger, including:

• Irresponsible actions by individuals that cause fire, such as placing a charcoal brazier inside a tent, exposing children to suffocation etc.
• Some people buy counterfeit electrical extensions because it is cheaper but it may causes electric short-circuits and fires.
• The Civil Defence General Directorate distributes brochures and illustrations to all winter camp attendees, to clarify the terms of use and obligations, with access to safety for safe tent conditions, and also conduct evacuation training at least once in the camps to raise awareness.

The Camp transfer from Al Warqa to Tay Saaid area, helped put all tents under the control of competent authorities in case of an emergency.