Rescue team put to the test after tackling crashes, fires and quakes
Dubai Police’s search and rescue team were called to more than 140 incidents involving cars last year.
The incidents comprised 128 collisions, 12 crashes, two fires and one case of a car falling.
The incidents led to 38 deaths and more than 90 serious injuries. Statistics show 69 moderate injuries and 78 minor injuries were recorded.
The team was called on to attend more than 5,300 incidents last year.
The demands of the work can take an emotional toll on the team, with its members required to show resilience to do their duty, Col Khaled Al Hammadi, director of Dubai Police’s search and rescue department, told The National.
“Major incidents leave a mark because of the large number of victims,” he said.
Col Al Hammadi also said it was important for the public to show patience when the rescue team goes about its work, especially during adverse weather such as the stormy conditions and flooding across the UAE this week.
“They need to remember that a rescuer is also a person with a family waiting for them to return home safely,” he said.
Col Al Hammadi has more than 30 years of experience.
He was part of UAE teams that carried out operations after devastating earthquakes in Turkey, Pakistan and Morocco, as well as deadly flooding in Libya.
The team has been called into action to help people trapped in cars, lifts or their homes. Rescuers have also been called to help when vehicles become stuck in sand and during fires.
The rescue experts are also called to conduct sweeps to ensure areas are safe after reports of incidents involving chemical substances.
Col Al Hammadi said the team includes five female members, which shows improvements in diversity.
Another 20 women are expected to join the team by the end of the year.
“A comprehensive training and evaluation will happen before they join,” he said.
He was speaking as two teams from the department competed at the UAE Rescue Challenge.
The event was organised by Dubai Police in association with the World Rescue Organisation. Eight teams participated, including search and rescue personnel from countries such as Saudi Arabia and Singapore.
The teams were faced with several scenarios that recreated situations they might encounter in real life, including serious car accidents.
Col Al Hammadi said the challenges were designed not only to test the teams’ physical skills, but also their mental agility when confronted with challenging circumstances.
“Before the start, teams are isolated and all communication devices are confiscated to ensure they are unaware of the upcoming scenarios, mirroring the unpredictability of real-life rescue missions,” he said.
A review is held after the challenges, when a five-member referee committee discusses the performance of each team and highlights what they did well and what could have been improved.
This is followed by a psychological assessment to ensure team members are not emotionally affected by the scenes they encounter.
The assessment is a standard post-mission protocol for Dubai Police.