Integrated Disaster Management City planned in Abu Dhabi

Preparations are well underway at Tawazun Safety, Security and Disaster Management City (Jaheziya) for a successful participation at IDEX 2015, says its Chairman Ali Musleh Al Ahbabi.
"The highly-anticipated IDEX 2015 is one of the world's largest and most strategically important defence and security exhibitions and it is natural that we anticipate it to promote our innovative techniques, skills solutions and accredited training courses in the fields of Safety, Security, Emergency Response and Crisis & Disaster Management," he adds.
Jaheziya provides technical, vocational and professional training for intra-agency, interagency and multi-agency operations in the fields of safety, security, emergency preparedness, and disaster management.
Initiated by Tawazun, Jaheziya aims to offer training that will help build, sustain and enhance the UAE's capacity to protect communities, assets and vital infrastructure.
Jaheziya's facilities serve as a platform to re-enact and recreate past incidents and perceived threats. Through scenario-based training of single and multiple events, it provides a unique experience which allows professionals from various agencies to cooperate, communicate and interact with their counterparts while performing the operations they were exclusively trained for.
"Jaheziya is firm in its conviction that the key to successful emergency, crisis and disaster management is communications, cooperation and coordination. Technical, vocational and professional training is offered for intra-agency, inter-agency and multi-agency operations: in order to protect communities, assets and vital infrastructure in the UAE and abroad, trainees must learn to work together," remarks Al Ahbabi.
In the past, he goes on, different government entities, including the military, government and quasi-government agencies, had their own training programs, but now, safety, security and firefighting trainings are combined under Jaheziya's umbrella.
"As the challenges and dynamics of national security continue to evolve, emergency management agencies need to reinvent and recalibrate their delivery. Failure to integrate planning at the preliminary stage increases pressure on the military to expand its involvement in non-military tasks and jeopardise the overall success of an operation," notes Al Ahbabi.
Jaheziya's training programs cover a wide range of essential disciplines, including training for professional firefighters, airport rescue and firefighting, industrial firefighting, onshore and offshore rescue and firefighting, maritime, emergency response, and basic and advanced first aid, with over 35 courses run to international standards.
Elaborating, Al Ahbabi says: "Our training modules provide a unique experience and emphasise on efficient working methods that can be easily pressed into service in an emergency, crisis or disaster situation. Alongside curricula on the technical aspects, our training also focuses on areas of response and management with particular emphasis on single and multiple scenario-based multiagency training on the mechanisms used before, during and after an emergency.
Jaheziya serves three military and civilian key sectors, namely, land, sea and air, including residential towers and vehicles firefighting operations, industrial sectors, HAZMAT, construction, railways, medical and tests.
Al Ahbabi predicts a joint plan to develop special training that serves the needs of the armed forces, oil & gas, aviation, maritime and civilian sectors.
"We are focused on quality of training and are currently operating from integrated facilities in Mussafah, Abu Dhabi which could serve as a basis for the world-class Jaheziya City that will help meet the rising demand for different emergency and disaster management training courses.' According to Al Ahbabi, Jaheziay's priorities are the Jaheziya City, the Emiratisation of instructors and the strategic partnerships with the world's leaders in the field.
"On the cards also are plans to expand our strategic cooperation with Rabdan Academy, especially in the areas of education, qualification and accreditation. We target building capabilities of the national workforce and to boost the Emiratisation process. Around 45% of our current staff are UAE nationals."
Source: WAM