Decision-makers, management consultants, safety and security personnel and representatives of relief and emergency preparedness institutions are gathering in Dubai for the 11th International Emergency and Catastrophe Management Conference and Exhibition, IECM, and the Dubai International Ambulance Conference, DIAC, which are taking place from 21st-23rd March at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Spreading across 4,500 square metres, this year's exhibition area is larger than last year's edition by 20%.

Each year, IECM has grown and been a converging point for participants, exhibitors and partners from across the region and internationally. This year, the Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services will be conducting the event in partnership with INDEX Conferences and Exhibitions on topics that are of key importance to the sector. Discussions will be based around pre-hospital care, ambulance services, technological advancements and the initiatives undertaken by the corporation to fulfil Dubai's vision.

Organisers say the objective of the IECM 2016 is to contribute towards the capacity building of the responders during an emergency situation. The event will focus on issues faced during emergencies through new practices, methodologies, case studies which will be discussed by experts from the field.

''IECM 2016 will be a convergence point for local, regional and international professionals from emergency services and first responders, civil defence organisations, disaster planning and managing authorities, NGO’s , the health sector, and government agencies. The objective of the event is to identify and discuss chronic issues through case studies, new methodologies, trending topics within the Emergency Management Sector extending across the community," said Dr. Abdul Salam Al Madani, Executive Chairman IECM 2016, in his welcome message posted on the event's website.

''With a rapidly changing globe, there arises a surging need for emergency providers, institutions, relief agencies, air support services, medical services, media organisations and other emergency and disaster relief providers and equipment manufacturers to constantly upgrade their resources and equip themselves with the latest means and services, taking in due consideration the response time for any nature of emergency,'' he added.

Through over 30 plenary sessions, IECM 2016 will focus on a variety of scientific topics such as trauma management, pre-hospital care, neurological emergencies, psychological emergencies, disaster activation and eminent case studies on emergency scenarios. While the conference aims to highlight the theme of, ‘Human Resources Management in Emergencies and Catastrophes’, the exhibition invites the response agencies, medical services and support service providers, life support systems and equipment manufacturers, management consultancies etc., to showcase their products, services and upcoming initiatives.

DIAC 2016 is an event that will largely focus on pre-hospital care, where ambulance leaders, senior managers and stakeholders come together to share best practice and ideas on how to improve the way they manage and develop their local services.

DIAC 2016 will give personnel at all levels of the emergency services background to network and to hear from key figures in the industry, public and private sector, ambulance services and health authorities on current and future trends and policy developments. The event will focus on areas that are of prime importance to the emergency medicine sector, pre-hospital care using technology as an enabler to highlight improvements that are underway, and all objectives that support Dubai Expo 2020.

Source:WAM