Abu Dhabi: The multitude of social media platforms is presenting Civil Defence organisations with new ways of communicating with the public, as well as conducting effective safety awareness campaigns, it was said during a conference organised by the Ministry of Interior on Tuesday in the capital.
The forum was held to coincide with World Civil Defence Day, which is marked every year on March 1, to highlight the work carried out by Civil Defence teams around the world.
His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, joined Dubai Civil Defence’s celebrations on the occasion during a visit to DCD’s Emirates Martyrs Fire Centre on Shaikh Zayed Road.
Shaikh Mohammad said that Civil Defence is a profession for the courageous, who put their lives on the line to protect lives as well as public and private properties.
Shaikh Mohammad greeted Major General Rashid Thani Al Matroushi, director of DCD, and Civil Defence employees and senior officers. He congratulated them on the occasion of World Civil Defence Day, and wished them more achievements and success.
“Despite all your achievements, I urge you not to rest on your laurels. Diligence and hard work reflect the spirit and attributes of dedication and determination that characterise Emiratis. Any significant achievement must be followed by hard work and pursuing more knowledge and training in order to keep abreast with developments in the field. This will help you achieve the highest possible standards, your personal ambitions and meet the aspirations of your leaders,” said Shaikh Mohammad.
Present on the occasion were Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince, Shaikh Maktoum Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, and Lieutenant General Shaikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior.
Jasem Al Marzouqi, General Commander of the UAE Civil Defence, speaking at the forum in Abu Dhabi, said, “It is known to everybody that leadership and pioneering in Civil Defence requires continued preparedness as well as keeping pace in implementing the needed standards to serve the community.”
Al Marzouqi pointed to the effective response in putting out the fire that broke out at The Address Hotel in Dubai on New Year’s Eve as a sign of the country’s readiness in dealing with emergencies.
“This is an occasion for me to express my gratitude to all workers in the Civil Defence for their distinguished efforts in protecting the lives of all people … Your work in dealing with the fire of The Address Hotel is an example of your professionalism and quick responsiveness in dealing with such hazards and dangers,” he said.
On the role of social media, Al Marzouqi said this was an area the Civil Defence was keenly engaged in.
“We have adopted a plan on forming a clear strategy for the Civil Defence and media, and we have initiated media programmes that are comprehensive … and have raised awareness on preventing and handling disasters and hazardous situations,” he said.
Colonel Obaid Al Zaabi, from the Ministry of Interior’s Public Relations Department, spoke on the importance of awareness campaigns, stressing that the main aim is to help prevent crimes before they happen.
He provided some examples of successful social media campaigns.
“The police department posted several messages through social media during the Eid holidays encouraging children to not use fireworks, and it received a big response from children. Another [successful] campaign on light aerial sports was conducted purely through social media with the inclusion of smart applications,” he said.
