Dubai - Rescue teams show how fast they can save car crash victims at Dubai event.
Published: Wed 19 Feb 2020, 8:00 PM
Rescue teams from across the country raced against time on Tuesday to save injured 'people' trapped in car crash scenarios - which were set up for the kickoff of the new UAE Rescue Challenge 2020.
Set to run until Thursday at Al Ruwayaa Training City in Dubai, the challenge will test the skills of 13 rescue teams from all seven emirates.
Two categories, standard and complex, were created to simulate realistic scenarios, from a serious accident with a person stuck in a car to a three-vehicle pile-up with two people in critical condition.
No two set-ups are the same, so all teams have no idea what kind of situation they will be dealing with.
Brigadier Dr Mohammad Nasser Al Razooqi, director of Transport and Rescue Department at the Dubai Police, said they will have to show how good they are at thinking on their feet, coming up with an actual plan, and executing it right away.
"This competition primarily aims to improve the skills of the country's rescue teams," Brig Al Razooqi said.
The scenarios
The first category, standard, involves scenarios with one injured person stuck in a collision on the road. They would have to rescue the individual as fast they could. Maximum time allotted is 20 minutes.
In the second category, complex, two accident victims are involved and one of them will have his limb trapped in the scene. Teams will have to complete the mission in 30 minutes.
Winners will be awarded with medals and will have the opportunity to participate in international challenges.
The event is the first of its kind in the country, and authorities are looking at expanding it in the future and inviting rescue teams from around the world, especially from the GCC.
Faisal Abdullah Al Baloushi, head of Abu Dhabi Academy team, said the challenge is a good opportunity to acquire new experiences and learn how to deal with different scenarios.
"It's more like a training course," he said, adding that knowing nothing about the staged situations makes it more like a real-life experience.
"Rescuing injured people inside vehicles are our main concern, so we have to work immediately to get them out of the cars."
Lt-Col Khaled Ibrahim Al Hammadi, deputy director of the search and rescue department, said the challenge would also allow the teams to exchange experiences.
The UAE Rescue Challenge 2020 is organised by the Dubai Police, in cooperation with the World Rescue Organisation.
hesham@khaleejtimes.com
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