The National Ambulance has confirmed its readiness for the Eid Al Adha vacation through a comprehensive plan to deal with various emergency cases.

It announced that it will increase rescue resources distributed in the Northern regions by 15 percent to increase its readiness to 115 percent to deal with emergency cases and traffic accidents during the three-day Eid.

The preparations include co-ordination with relevant authorities and implementation of the emergency plan related to Eid and official vacations, which involves increasing preparedness levels by redistributing emergency personnel and intensifying the presence of ambulances in vital areas and roads. This is done according to the previous location statistics of the National Ambulance and the data offered by the strategic partners to ensure the effectiveness of response and achieve public safety in the Northern emirates during Eid.

Ahmed Saleh Al Hajeri, Deputy CEO of National Ambulance, confirmed the completion of preparations and elevation of specialised rescue personnel’s readiness. Plans include the arrangement of an operation room to deal with emergency cases round the clock and integrated co-ordination with all relevant partners from the General Command of the Police and Civil Defence.

The Eid and official vacations emergency plan features reinforcement of current resources with additional resources and their distribution in a calculated manner to all vital sites that witness huge crowds and increased traffic accidents in the Northern emirates.

Al Hajeri said that the statistics and previous experiences of the National Ambulance stress the increase of demand on rescue services during occasions such as Eid. The emergency plan will be implemented throughout the vacation period, he added.

Al Hajeri has urged people to follow security and safety guidelines in public areas such as mosques, Eid prayer venues, public gatherings, shopping centres, beaches, pools, parks and mountain areas. He has also asked people to be cautious on the roads, follow traffic rules, and give priority to ambulances.

He stressed on the necessity of parents monitoring their children to avoid drowning and other accidents that maybe caused due to fireworks.

The National Ambulance allows residents in the Northern regions to communicate directly with the operation room and request rescue service in emergency cases, whether through the ambulance emergency number 998, or the National Ambulance smart application NA 998, which is available in app stores. It enables users to request ambulance service in one simple step and accurately specify the location. It also includes a first-aid manual that details steps to deal with common emergency cases.