How firefighters in Dubai spent their Ramadan

Dubai - The working hours and schedules are different from other months of the year.

The country has marked Eid Al Fitr with no untoward incident and residents are back to their routine after a month-long fasting period. While working hours were reduced for employees during the holy month, several essential services were available round the clock during the holy month of Ramadan.
Khaleej Times met an official of the Dubai Civil Defence to know how the employees managed challenging and difficult work of firefighting while fasting during the hot UAE summer.
Sharing the experience of fasting, Captain Amer Abdul Wahab Al Ghatani, deputy director of Al Marsa civil defence station, said: "Ramadan is a time for dedication to work and worshiping not just to me but for all civil defence officials. Our nature of work and life at home will undergo some changes during the holy month. The working hours and schedule will be different from other months of the year.
"Like others, the Dubai civil defence officials also focus on worshipping while performing their humanitarian tasks during the fasting period to save people's lives."
He said that those who will be on duty will take the responsibility after the dawn prayer, then goes for training, would inspect cars and equipment, and the work schedule goes on normally. He said that those who are on shift duty begin their work about 4am and they will register files, inspect the fire engines and equipment at the civil defence station.
"In Ramadan, the difficult exercises on fire engines will be done after Iftar, and the exercises will continue for an hour and then all staff will be given rest," he said.
He told Khaleej Times that he participated in fighting two fires including a fire that broke in a warehouse and an industrial area this year.
He added: "Last year there was a big fire in Al Rashidiya area in Dubai. While we battled the blaze, I was about to faint. In order to save me, the firefighter gave me water. A firefighter is allowed to end the fast in necessity and to be able to perform his duty to save the lives of people and their possessions."
He said that the obligation to fast is waived for Muslims who are ill or travelling. However, they are supposed to fast the missed days after Ramadan. Besides, they can also give up food and drink for the day that they did not fast. "When I am not on duty. I get together with my family and friends and we go to mosques for prayers.  We focus on prayers during the last 10 nights of Ramadan."
amira@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai