New training scheme to boost UAE's emergency response

The Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Volunteer Programme and the Frontline Heroes Office are partnering to launch a Jaheziya training initiative.

Jaheziya — which means ‘readiness’ — will ensure that all citizens and residents of the UAE are protected by highly skilled emergency and disaster management professionals. They will get advanced medical and emergency response training for a number of potential situations from infectious diseases and airborne viruses to natural disasters, fires and nuclear incidents.

The programme will be offered to all medical professionals — paramedics, staff working in a wide range of emergency and crisis response departments and all professionals and volunteers on the Frontline Heroes Office registry.

According to an official Press note issued by the Frontline Heroes Office on Saturday, the programme will be recognised as the “international gold standard” for medical and emergency response. The programme is currently identifying candidates for the first training courses that will start in January 2021.

“It will also provide frontline heroes with highly valuable career development through the opportunity to achieve internationally recognised accredited certification in specialised disaster response,” it said.

Highest standards

Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Board of the Frontline Heroes Office, said: “As a nation, we have a responsibility to our people to invest in and maintain the highest level of emergency and disaster response capabilities to protect the UAE from potential threats to public safety today and for generations to come.

“At the same time, we owe it to our frontline professionals to provide them with the highest standards of professional training available both for their career development as well as to best enable them to deliver on the commitment they make every day to serve their nation.”

Noura Al Suwaidi, Secretary-General of the General Women’s Union, said: “This internationally accredited training programme was developed and certified by some of the world’s most prominent international institutions to unify all medical and non-medical emergency responders as well as our volunteer networks to be able to work more effectively as a single, cohesive unit to respond to emergency situations.”

What does the programme offer?

Jaheziya is modelled on the programme developed by a consortium of leading US universities. It provides successful participants with an accredited certification approved by a group of prominent US and UK disaster management institutions, including the National Disaster Life Support Foundation (USA), the American Academy of Family Physicians (USA), the Advanced Life Support Group (UK) and the International Trauma Life Support program (US).

Jaheziya training courses are comprehensive, competency-based and standardised across all emergency response disciplines and covering all potential hazards. Courses include:

> E-learning in Emergency and Disaster Medical Response

> Core, Basic and Advanced Disaster Life Support

> International Trauma Life Support

> Medical Response to Major Incidents & Disasters

> Basic and Advanced Life Support in Obstetrics

All trainees will undergo 60 hours of virtual and field training in courses uniquely suited to their specific roles in emergency and disaster response.

The e-learning components will include monthly seminars for all participants as well as weekly courses based on individual areas of expertise.

Field training will be provided to all medical professionals through mobile training centres set up across the UAE as well as in local hospitals. Trainees are required to pass exams following each segment of the programme to achieve certifications. The programme is structured to be self-sustaining to provide for long-term capacity building.

The highest performing candidates will be nominated to participate in specialised instructor courses. This “train the trainer” leadership development approach will result in the ability to sustain a highly capable and functional local faculty of emergency response experts to lead future training programmes.

dhanusha@khaleejtimes.com

• Abu Dhabi
• Dubai